Ian Chalmers Joins The Critical Minerals Institute As New Co-Chair

Toronto, February 28, 2023 – The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI), which was founded for education, collaboration, and to provide professional opportunities to meet the critical minerals supply chain challenges, is pleased to announce that it has appointed renowned rare earths executive Ian Chalmers as its Co-Chair, and industry expert Lara Smith as a new director.

Ian Chalmers is a geologist and graduate of the Western Australia Institute of Technology (Curtin University) and has a Master of Science degree from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. He has worked in the mining and exploration industry for over 50 years. Ian has a 35-year involvement with ASX listed company Alkane Resources Ltd. (ASX: ALK) as both Technical Director and Managing Director, and has steered Alkane through discovery, feasibility, construction and development of gold and gold-copper projects in New South Wales, Australia.

With a 30-year involvement in the rare metal and rare earth industry, Ian was involved with the discovery and evaluation of the Brockman rare metal and rare earth project in northern Western Australia, and has managed the geology, process development and global marketing effort for the Dubbo rare metal and rare earth project in New South Wales, advancing it to the threshold of development.

“I am delighted that Ian has joined the Critical Minerals Institute as a director and Co-Chair,” said CMI Founder Tracy Weslosky. “No one knows better how to actually develop a critical minerals resource or its importance to battery materials and electric vehicles, as well as future green technologies and energy production. We all look forward to working with Ian to make the Critical Minerals Institute the leading international organization for critical mineral companies and professionals designed to address relevant issues relating to the establishment of secure supply chains from mine to manufacturing.”

“I am also pleased to welcome Lara Smith as a new director of the Critical Minerals Institute,” Tracy continued. “Lara is COO and President of Molten Metals Corp. (CSE: MOLT) (formerly “Battery Elements”), and Founder and Managing Director of Core Consultants Pty (Guernsey) Ltd, an internationally recognized name in the natural resources industry.” Lara is a renowned industry writer and speaker in the field of business and economics, commodity analysis, and forecasting. “Lara has been a keynote speaker at international mining and business conferences in over 20 countries,” Tracy said, “and brings a wealth of practical rare earths experience to the CMI.”

The Critical Minerals Institute held its sold out inaugural summit in November, 2022 in Toronto, Canada, with over a hundred international experts, investors and critical minerals companies gathered to hear over 20 speakers and world-renown panelists. This year’s expanded summit, “Driving To The Near Future – Critical Minerals For the EV Transformation”, is scheduled for June 14-15, 2023, in Toronto. Keynote speakers such as Constantine Karayannopoulos from Neo Performance Materials Inc. (TSX: NEO) and Mark Chalmers of Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU | TSX: EFR) have already confirmed and early registration is now open at https://criticalmineralsinstitute.com/the-critical-minerals-institute-summit/ .

The Critical Minerals Institute website at www.criticalmineralsinstitute.com was created to offer education, collaboration and an online resource to learn about critical mineral projects, emerging technologies, legislative initiatives, government funding, human capital needs, and capital market investment opportunities.

There is no charge or sign-up required for access to the Critical Minerals Institute website. A range of enhanced benefits are available to individual and corporate members of the CMI, including attendance at the CMI Summit, virtual events and additional resources. For details see: www.criticalmineralsinstitute.com/cmi-membership/.

For more information, please visit the Critical Minerals Institute website at www.criticalmineralsinstitute.com or to secure a CMI Corporate Membership, please contact CMI Director Tracy Weslosky at [email protected]. For CMI inquiries, please contact Director, Membership Services Tom Park at +1 416 792 8228 or email [email protected].

About the Critical Minerals Institute: The Critical Mineral Institute (CMI) is an international organization for companies and professionals focused on battery materials, technology metals, defense metals, ESG technologies and practices, the general EV market, and the use of critical minerals for energy and alternative energy production. Offering an online site that features job opportunities that range from consulting roles to Advisory Board positions, the CMI offers a wide range of B2B service solutions. Also offering online and in-person events, the CMI is designed for education, collaboration, and to provide professional opportunities to meet the critical minerals supply chain challenges.

Special Thanks to the Critical Minerals Institute Corporate Sponsors, which include the following companies: ACME Lithium Inc., American Rare Earths Limited, Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp., Auxico Resources Canada Inc., Avalon Advanced Materials Inc., Clean Air Metals Inc., Critical Metals PLC, Critical Minerals Americas Inc., Defense Metals Corp., dynaCERT Inc., Elcora Advanced Materials Corp., Energy Fuels Inc., F3 Uranium Corp., Geophysx Jamaica Ltd., Grant Thornton LLP, Imperial Mining Group Ltd., Kraken Energy Corp., Lithium Ionic Corp., Nano One Materials Corp., Neo Performance Materials Inc., Panther Metals PLC, Power Nickel Inc., Save Canadian Mining, Search Minerals Inc., Silver Bullet Mines Corp., Texas Mineral Resources Corp., Ucore Rare Metals Inc., and WCPD Inc.

For more information, go to CriticalMineralsInstitute.com or email [email protected] for more information. You may also call +1 416 792 8228.

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