Minemakers Limited - New Board Appointment: Mr Dick Block
Mr Block was appointed after an international search to secure a Director with appropriate phosphate, chemicals and fertilizer experience.
Mr Block served as President of IMC-Agrico Company between 1996 and 1998 and from 1993 to 1996 was a member of its governing board. It was then a US$1.7 billion mining and chemicals company, and the world's largest manufacturer of phosphate fertilizer products, as well as a significant miner of phosphate rock and producer of animal feed ingredients, nitrogen fertilizer products, uranium, sulphuric acid and ammonia. At that time, it was an autonomous JV between Freeport-McMoRan Inc. and IMC Global Inc.; now all have been assimilated into the Mosaic Company, the world's leading producer and marketer of phosphate and potash products.
Prior to that Mr Block was employed by Freeport-McMoRan Inc. rising to Executive Vice President and COO, and by its then affiliated company Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., where he served as Senior Vice President. Prior to those roles, he was President of Agrico Chemical Company, a Freeport subsidiary which at the time was North America's largest producer of phosphates.
Minemakers expects that Mr Block will give significant input to the Board and Management as the Company advances its strategy to become a major force in the world rock phosphate and fertilizer industry. He has an exemplary background in our industry, in corporate management, capital raising, overviewing construction planning, fertilizer manufacture and product marketing - particularly into India and Asia, and in mining and processing. He has served on the boards of companies listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges including that of Kinross Gold Corporation whose market capitalisation is about Canadian $13 billion.
Mr Block has a degree in Chemical Engineering and has served on numerous professional and trade boards including the International Fertilizer Industry Association, the Phosphate Chemicals Export Association, The Fertilizer Institute, The Sulphur Institute, The Potash and Phosphate Institute and was President of the Florida Phosphate Council.
Andrew Drummond
Executive Chairman
ABN 48 116 296 541
Contacts:
Minemakers Limited
Mr Andrew Drummond
Executive Chairman
+61 8 9264 7000
+61 8 9264 7099 (FAX)
www.minemakers.com.au