ASX-listed Astron has appointed Grant Huggins as general manager (GM) for operations, tasking him with managing the Donald rare earth and mineral sands project, in Victoria.

In his role, Huggins will have overall responsibility for Donald project production, maintenance, safety, environmental management, and community relations. Initial activities will include establishing the operational requirements for the project, managing the operational-readiness programme, and managing the project’s transition from construction and commissioning to operations.

Astron notes that Huggins has significant mineral sands experience, including about ten years as a member of the Iluka Resources’ senior leadership team in the Murray basin in Victoria, responsible for the development and operation of three mineral sands projects.

For the last decade, he has held senior leadership executive positions with Bluescope – New Zealand Steel spanning operations management, project delivery, strategy formulation and execution, negotiation of major supply and services agreements, and stakeholder relationship development. His most recent roles at New Zealand Steel included GM of mining and services, which includes the Waikato North Head iron sands mine, and project director - electric arc furnace.

The Donald project, located 300 km northwest of Melbourne in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, is planned to become a globally significant, long-life supplier of critical rare earth elements, including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium as well as zirconium, hafnium and titanium minerals. It contains over 2.6-billion tonnes of mineral resources at 4.4% HM grade and comprises two adjoining deposits, the Donald deposit and the Jackson deposit.

Phase 1 of the Donald project will be developed on granted mining licence MIN5532 and will use only 17% of Astron’s total mineral resource. It is forecast to generate post-tax net present value of $852-million over a 41.5-year mine life.