Pioneer Lithium appoints Fortescue Future Industries and Galaxy Resources alum Clinton Booth as managing director

Highly experienced mining executive Clinton Booth to drive Pioneer’s transition from exploration to development
Pioneer’s Root Lake project located along the same pegmatite corridor as GT1’s neighbouring lithium resource

Canada-focused Pioneer Lithium chief executive Clinton Booth is transitioning to the role of managing director, effective immediately, to lead the company from exploration into a development phase for its flagship Root Lake project in Ontario, Canada.

Lithium explorer Pioneer Lithium (ASX:PLN) is aiming to prove up resources adjacent to Green Technology Metals’ (ASX:GT1) Root Bay deposit, with its maiden exploration fieldwork campaign discovering an 85-pegmatite swarm.

Wedged between GT1’s tenements, PLN recently encountered mineralised pegmatites from maiden fieldwork at its Red Squirrel prospect.

It also previously discovered three pegmatites along the Extended Morrison trend, along strike from GT1’s Morrison-McCombe pegmatite system.

Pioneer Lithium (ASX:PLN) — Pegmatites to the left, pegmatites to the right, along two mineralised corridors. Pic supplied: (PLN)

Leadership through exploration into development

Booth brings more than 20 years’ experience in the mining and energy sectors to Pioneer, including senior positions with Fortescue Future Industries and Galaxy Resources (now Allkem).

During his time at Fortescue Future Industries, Mr Booth performed several roles covering early-stage development activities including global land and tenement acquisition, overseeing global permitting and approvals, and heading project development activities in North America.

Most recently, he was the global head of integration where he was responsible for the transition and integration of M&A and joint venture transactions.

At Galaxy Resources, Booth played a key role in identifying and delivering significantly improved financial returns for the feasibility study of the James Bay hard rock project in Canada, advancing the Sal de Vida brine project in Argentina from feasibility into construction, and significantly reducing operating expenditure and improving production at the hard rock mine in WA.

PLN executive chair Robert Martin says it’s an outstanding result for the company’s shareholders that Clinton has accepted the role of managing director.

“Clinton brings a vast amount of experience to the board and to the management team, and has been influential in driving the rapid progress of our projects in such a short period from listing,” Martin says.

“The board and I look forward to working with Clinton as he leads the company from exploration into a development phase.”

In other news, Gerard O’Donovan has resigned as a non-exec director of PLN, as he looks to focus on his work as managing director with fellow Canadian lithium explorer Battery Age Minerals (ASX:BM8).

“The board thanks Gerard for his efforts in supporting the IPO process and I wish him all the best as he focuses on his current role at Battery Age Minerals,” Martin says.

This article was developed in collaboration with Pioneer Lithium, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.