Canyon Resources on-board Jean-Sebastien Boutet as Chief Executive Officer

The developer of the world-class Minim Martap bauxite project in Cameroon, Canyon Resources Limited has announced that it has appointed Jean-Sebastien Boutet as Chief Executive Officer.

Boutet is an experienced metals and mining executive carrying more than 16 years in the bauxite and aluminium industry. The official commencement of Jean-Sebastien Boutet at Canyon Resources will be from 1^st January 2022.

Boutet has more than 6 years of working experience in West Africa and most recently as Chief Commercial Officer at Alufer Mining Limited, an independent bauxite mining company that discovered and developed the now operational Bel Air bauxite deposit. However, he was previously a member of the Board of Directors of Compagnie des Bauxite de Guinée (CBG) while working as Commercial and Market Development Director for Alcoa Corporation.

With a background in business development, operations management and mine logistics, Boutet has significant experience in securing key partnerships, developing and implementing marketing and commercial strategy and ensuring key workstreams towards development are achieved on time and within budget.

The appointment of Boutet is well-timed as the Company shifted its focus to the financing and development of the Minim Martap Bauxite Project, with key offtake and other commercial partnerships progressing.

Jean-Sebastien will complement the existing and highly experienced team in Cameroon of Rick Smith (CEO of Camalco Cameroon SA) and Andre Henry (Director Port and Rail of Camalco Cameroon SA).

Boutet is bilingual in French and English and holds an Executive Master of Business Administration qualification from McGill and HEC Universities in Montreal, Canada.

Phillip Gallagher, the founder of Canyon is currently in Cameroon conducting negotiations on the Mining Convention for the Project and intends to transition to an Executive Director role.

Gallagher will support the transition of Jean-Sebastien Boutet into the key CEO role and will pursue to work closely with the established team to progress the Minim Martap Project into production.

Jean-Sebastien Boutet said: “I am thrilled and highly motivated to join Canyon Resources at such a pivotal time in the development of the Minim Martap Project. This project is most likely the highest-grade undeveloped bauxite deposit in the world. I am very excited to use my experience and to work with the team to deliver a world-class bauxite mine into production in Cameroon creating value for all stakeholders.”

Cliff Lawrenson, the Non-Executive Chairman of Canyon Resources said: “We are delighted to have Jean-Sebastien join the Canyon team. He is an outstanding mining executive who is eager to put his experience and connections to work. This is a natural progression as Canyon evolves from the exploration and the permitting phase of the Minim Martap Project to the construction and operations phase. We now have a team of experienced West African bauxite operational and business development executives, and we are well-positioned to bring the world’s highest-grade bauxite mine into production.”

“Phil Gallagher, who has accumulated a wealth of experience and a deep network in Cameroon, will remain with the Company as an Executive Director to transition the CEO role and to support the next phase of development. Phil has done a tremendous job in progressing the Minim Martap Project over the past few years, often in trying circumstances, and we are most appreciative of his drive and contribution in this regard. His continued contribution to the Project leveraging from his established and sound relationships with senior members of the Cameroon government, with added support from our new CEO, will underpin the success of the Minim Martap Project.”