FABULOUS APPOINTMENT!

Northern Minerals new chair a regional and rare earths industry expert

Nick Curtis, who was awarded the Order of Australia for his work on China-Australia bonds, brings expertise in regional relations that will no doubt bolster the company's ambitions to become a global dysprosium producer.

Northern Minerals Ltd (ASX:NTU) has appointed Nicholas (Nick) Curtis AM as chairman of the Board of Directors.

Curtis has a background in mining and finance spanning more than 30 years, and brings expertise in regional relations that will no doubt bolster the company's ambitions to become a dysprosium producer to rival China.

His regional knowledge started with Sino Gold Limited, which he founded as executive chairman, operating gold mines in China. It listed in 2001 and was bought by Eldorado Gold Corp (TSX:ELD) of Canada in 2006 after becoming an ASX top 100 company.

Rare earths industry

Curtis is a veteran of the rare earths industry, having taken control of ASX-listed Lynas Corporation (ASX:LYC), now Lynas Rare Earths Ltd, and retraining its focus on rare earth to develop the Mt Weld rare earth deposit in Western Australia and a large downstream rare earth processing plant in Kuantan in Malaysia.

Curtis went on to found Forge Resources Ltd in 2011, a junior ASX mining exploration company which acquired the Balla Balla Mine in the Pilbara in Western Australia. This company, privatised in 2014 and now BBI Group Pty Ltd, is focused on building a large-scale integrated iron ore system in the Pilbara in Western Australia.