The new advisory board will provide input, guidance, and meaningful connections as part of an effort to combine mining excellence with environmental innovation.

Allonnia, the bio-ingenuity company dedicated to extracting value where others see waste, today announced the establishment of their Mining Advisory Board. Consisting of mining industry experts from academia, mining majors, and private institutions, the Board will support Allonnia with developing and delivering transformational biological solutions tailored to the mining industry.

The global mining industry is facing unprecedented demand for critical minerals including copper, nickel, rare earths, and lithium for electrification, leading companies to investigate new resources and look for ways to extract more value from existing materials. These demands in conjunction with environmental concerns have increased interest in ways to integrate innovative solutions, such as biotechnology, into production. Biotechnology can help mining companies in their quest to sustainably produce higher-yield ores and also open up new resources and paths to recycling.

“The mining industry is at a critical inflection point, and biotechnology offers a range of new solutions,” said Chuck Price, Chief Commercial Officer of Allonnia. “This Mining Advisory Board brings together some of the most experienced minds in mining to collaborate on new approaches for the industry’s most pressing challenges. The decades of experience brought by each member will lead to invaluable feedback on the application of Allonnia’s technologies for tailings stabilization, selective gangue removal, and more, so we can achieve our global goals with less impact on the planet.”

The Board has deep practical experience in the mining industry, including systems implementation and mining innovation. Current advisory members include:

• Dr. Corby Anderson, Ph.D.: Dr. Corby Anderson is a Licensed Professional Chemical Engineer with over 40 years of global experience in industrial operations, corporate-level management, engineering, design, consulting, teaching, research, and professional service. He is President of Allihies Engineering Incorporated and his career includes positions with Thiokol Chemical Corporation, Key Tronic Corporation, Sunshine Mining and Refining Company, H. A. Simons Ltd., and CAMP-Montana Tech.
• Lee Bolden: Lee Bolden is the Manager of Mineral Processing Innovation at BHP with over 25 years in the mineral processing industry, working in various commodities in Australia, Chile, and New Caledonia. Lee has worked in roles across many aspects of the minerals business including positions in operations, business development, risk, engineering, commissioning, and innovation.
• Dr. Hubert Fleming, Ph.D, P.E.: Dr. Hubert Fleming is a consultant in water management, primarily in natural resources like mining, oil, and gas. He is former Global Head, Water Management, Anglo American, and former Global Managing Director of Hatch. Hu has served on numerous committees including as advisor to the International Finance Corporation, World Bank, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, and chairman, NATO task force on environmental affairs.
• Marc LeVier: Marc LeVier is the 2023 President of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration and serves on the BOD as Past President. He has over 50 years of experience in process engineering at mining operations and process engineering design. Marc was the Global Director of Metallurgical R&D for Newmont Mining Corporation and was the CEO, President and Director of two rare earth start-up companies.
• Stephen Potter: With over 30 years of mining experience, Stephen Potter is the Senior Advisor of Decarbonization at Vale and CEO of Tecnored, a biocarbon and iron-making technology company Vale acquired in 2014. In his role, Stephen focuses on decarbonization solutions for the steel industry and reducing scope one, two, and three emissions for Vale and its clients. He previously held leadership positions at Rio Tinto and BHP.

Members of the Board will offer informed recommendations to Allonnia’s executive leadership team to shape its products and services for the needs of the mining industry. Additionally, the group will play a key role in fostering collaboration among stakeholders, including local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations, and academia to create a holistic approach to mining operations.

Click here to learn more about Allonnia’s work in sustainable mining.