Huge Addition to the Team

EXCLUSIVEVorster latest to trek to graphite
9:00PMPAUL GARVEY
Iron ore industry veteran Alwyn Vorster will become the latest senior executive to migrate from iron ore to graphite.

MINING & ENERGY
Alwyn Vorster latest exec to make trek to graphite
9:18PM PAUL GARVEY
Mr Vorster, who led Kerry Stokes’s Iron Ore Holdings through a period of success up until its merger with BC Iron, will today be announced as a non-executive director of graphite hopeful Mozambi Resources.

The Australian understands Mr Vorster will also be given the responsibility of overseeing Mozambi’s pre-feasibility and feasibility studies over its flagship Namangale graphite deposit in Tanzania.

The recruitment is a coup for Mozambi, which is one of a host of junior companies that have flocked to the graphite sector amid investor excitement for the commodity.

Graphite is a key ingredient in the lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and home battery storage, leading to expectations that graphite demand will grow in the years to come.

Mr Vorster is not the first iron ore executive to find his way into the battery materials space.

Former Atlas Iron managing director Ken Brinsden late last year took up the role of chief executive at Pilbara Minerals, which is advancing the Pilgangoora lithium deposit in Western Australia.

During his time at Iron Ore Holdings, Mr Vorster helped engineer a series of transactions that ultimately saw him named Dealer of the Year at the 2013 Diggers & Dealers mining forum.

After leading Iron Ore Holdings into its merger with BC Iron in 2014, Mr Vorster was recruited by China’s Baosteel to head up its efforts to develop the West Pilbara iron ore project it had picked up through its $1.4 billion takeover of Aquila Resources.

However, feasibility studies over the West Pilbara project were formally put on hold just before Christmas due to weakness in iron ore prices and uncertainty about future supply and demand.

Mr Vorster has also previously served as the general manager of development for the Oakajee port and rail project and regional manager of China sales and shipping for Rio Tinto’s iron ore arm.

While Mr Vorster will remain in his role at Baosteel, his recruitment to the Mozambi board and responsibilities over the explorer’s project studies opens up the potential for a possible promotion to managing director. Stephen Hunt, who joined Mozambi from Tanzanian graphite rival Magnis Resources last year, was promoted from chairman to executive chairman earlier this month after the company raised $4.5 million through a placement.

Mozambi shares have tripled since it shifted its focus to graphite last year. The stock last traded at 3.4c a share.