RareX (ASX:REE) has strengthened its executive team to help drive development of its Cummins Range rare earths project and exploration work.

The company has appointed James Durrant as its general manager of projects to oversee studies at the flagship Cummins Range project in Western Australia’s East Kimberley region.

Cummins Range has a current inferred resource of 13 million tonnes at 13 per cent total rare earth oxides for 147 million kg of TREO.

Durrant was most recently the director of projects for Canyon Resources (ASX:CAY) where he oversaw the delivery of scoping and pre-feasibility studies, the environmental and social impact assessment and the development of the feasibility and bankable feasibility studies.

He led Canyon’s technical services team through resource, reserve and hydro drilling programs and was also instrumental in preparing the company for the mining licence application on the Minim Martap project in Cameroon.

The veteran mining executive has also served with Danakali Limited and BHP Billiton in various project, operational and corporate roles.

RareX has also appointed experienced exploration geologist Kristian Hendricksen as the exploration manager of its exploration spin-off, Cosmos Exploration.

He will be responsible for driving exploration at the Byro East nickel-copper-platinum group elements project in Western Australia and the Orange East gold project in New South Wales.

Hendricksen was most recently the exploration manager at Encounter Resources (ASX:ENR) where he was involved with much of the exploration and project generation work it undertook in the Paterson Province.

Prior to that, he worked at Xstrata Nickel and Murchison Metals Limited.

“We are really pleased to have secured these two high-calibre individuals to join our senior executive team at a pivotal time in RareX’s development,” managing director Jeremy Robinson said.

“The experience, skills and capabilities that both James and Kristian bring will be invaluable as we embark on what is set to be a really busy and exciting time for RareX in the second half of 2021.

“We have plenty of imminent news-flow, with a rig scheduled to be on site at Cummins Range next week to execute the exploration program outlined to the market on 6 April.”

“Plus, we are in the final stages of calculating the updated Mineral Resource, we have preparations well underway for scoping studies and we have discussions continuing with off-take and strategic partners.”

This article was developed in collaboration with RareX, 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.