article west australian, page-5

Ok guys, I'll type some bits of interest coz not sure if can get off the net.
A nice little start to a sunny weekend,
Marley.

"It was this time last year, close to the height of the global financial crisis that George Jones started to think about stepping down.

To the outside world it was business as usual for the highly respected mining veteran at the helm of iron ore hopefuls Gindalbie Metals and Sundance Resources. But behind closed doors ill health was beginning to take its toll and he needed some time off.

"But this time last year was messy and it got a lot messier, so I just continud oon and did what needed to be done," he told The West.
"I didn't have the nerve to (step down) then, so I jsut pressed on nd probably made things harder for myself."
Twelve months later Mr JOnes has bedded down GBG's $162 million Chinese fundign deal and brought Sundance through the financial crisis and "not too far away" from securing its own cashed-up partner.

On Monday he will officially hand over the reins to former BHP Billiton iron ore boss Geoff Wedlock.

It is Mr JOnes' second attmept at retirement. THe last one came after Portman Mining bowed to a $675 million takeover from US group Cliffs Natural Reosurnces, then Clevelnad-Cliffs.

He explected this attempt to last, even if "retirement" to the 64-year-old does not preclude non-executive directorships.

"The way I operate, unfortunately for me , is that I am very hands on," he said. "I won't do that (take on an executiv role), no matter how well I feel.

"Being a non-executive director or even if the opportunity for otehr chairmena roles came up ... I would tacklet it differently an dnot be so hands on. I'd make sure the right people were in place.

"But that's all in the future. It will be around December beofre I'm in a position to make those assessments."

Mr Jones may have paid for his decision to stay on for an extra year with his health - he now faces six months of rehaviltiation to recover fromt eheffects of an operation to treat Meniere's disease - but it paid divdents for shareholders.
Mr JOnes' long-standing relationship with China's steel industry was widely credited with GBG's ability to secure the deal it did amid the worst of the global downturn.

The one-time ANZ banker and co-foudner of treasury advisory group Oakvale Capital will leave Perth's executive ranks with a legacy that includes taking Portman Mining from an $18 million company in 1995 to a $675 million takeover target a decade later. He performed the smae trick at Gindalbie, which was yesterday worth $600 million.

It will also include disappointments, sucha as the collapse of struggling gold junior Consolidated Gold in 1998, whcih personally cost him $5 million, and his failure to cement a merger both between Portman and the then Michal Kiernan-led Consolidated Mionderals and Gindalbie and Sundance.

But it is his reputation a s a hard-working, if demanding, executive tha has given Mr Jones the most satisfaction.

"I guess probably I most enjoy being well regardwd -most people do," he said. "I grew up as a boy in PErth and wondered how on eartyh you get to have a life and a home and be well regarded in a city as big as PErth, as small as it is. And I get a lo of satisfaction out of having a relatively successful career."

Regarded as a man who wloves a challenge, Mr JOnes has not lost his sense of pride in hsi vicotries.

He was vidndicated in hsi controversial decsiion to split with the rest of the Portman board in recommending the rejection of Cliffs' takevoever bid - arguing it was too cheap - when the US giant was forced to shell out an extra $560 million in 2008 for the 14.81 per cent it failed to get the first time around.

"And when I tackeled Gindalbie everyone thought I was a bit crzy tackling magnetite but I knew mangnetite's day was coming,' he said.

Mr JOnes will also be remembemre for his presivience in spreuking the benefits of closer ties beween Austyrlaian and China long before it bcame fashionable to do so.

He was seen the relationship flourish, amid the influx of CHinese cash into WA's mining sector, and then sour with the detention of four Rio TInto executives.

"I have been dealign wtiht (the Chinese) seriously now for 16 years," he said.

"China is going to change ... but people have got to give it time. I see China as having significatnt influence on the prosperity of Austrlain and I beleive the relationship will improve...it will mature, it has to.

"And I believe that Australia has to work at it."

Phew. That journalistic background comes in handy, bit rusty though so apologise for the typos.