Alba Mineral Resources plc chief operating offer and senior geologist of 15 years, Mark Austin, has stepped down.
CLOGAU
Mr Austin will join the board as a non-executive director, effective from 1 September
2025, on an initial fixed term of six months, renewable by the parties’ agreement.
“Mark has been instrumental in the stewardship of Alba’s projects during the past five years, most notably at the Clogau gold mine [North Wales),” said executive chairman George Frangeskides.
“During that time, he has managed the main underground and surface drilling programmes,
the habitat regulations assessment of the mine and various other in-mine and regional exploration programmes, as well as the most extensive rehabilitation and safety programme seen at Clogau in many decades.
“We are delighted that he will remain closely connected with Alba and Clogau as a non-executive director, ensuring both a smooth transition for the technical team and that we will continue to benefit from his deep knowledge of the mine and operational matters.”
Mr Austin holds a beneficial interest in 7,857,143 ordinary Alba shares and 60 million enterprise management incentive share options at an exercise price of 0.16 pence per share, valid until 28 August 2030
DR CURTIS ROOKS
His replacement as principal geologist is Dr Curtis Rooks who will join the company from 1 October 2025.
Dr Rooks is a field geologist with experience of working in Arctic and sub-Arctic locations, and has completed several field seasons across Arctic Norway and Greenland.
He gained his PhD, which was funded by Elemental Rare Metals Ltd, holder of the Motzfeldt licence in Greenland, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
In July, Alba agreed a 51% stake in, and operatorship of, the Motzfeldt niobium-tantalum-zirconium-rare earth element project.
The subject of Dr Rooks’ doctoral thesis was ‘Controls on Rare Earth Mineralisation in Magmatic Roof-Zones, Motzfeldt, Southern Greenland’.
He also worked with Elemental from 2021-25 and led the field programme during this Summer.
Dr Rooks’ work also identified the Merino prospect at Motzfeldt as a potential second large-scale multi-element target along with the Aries deposit.
Alba chairman Mr Frangeskides is a founder, and owns 49.9% interest in Elemental with 1,814,703,811 shares.
Alba’s chief financial officer Sarah Potter owns 62,137,531 in Elemental and has provided independent accounting services to Elemental.