Last month, I had the pleasure of participating in the 16th Annual Sudbury Mining Week, not as President and CEO of FNX Mining, but as the event’s Honorary Chairman.

It was appropriate to celebrate Mining Week in Canada, and especially in Sudbury – one of the most prolific mining camps in the world.  In Canada, mining contributes $40 billion dollars or 5% of Canadian GDP every year and pays $4.7 billion in corporate taxes alone.  This industry directly employs 370,000 Canadians and is the largest private sector employer of Aboriginals.  Canada remains the leading source of new capital for the global mining industry accounting for 36% of the $53 billion raised in 2007 or net $19 billion. 

As a mining engineer who has spent his career in Africa, the United Sates and Latin America, I can confirm that there are few places in the world where mining is embraced and supported as it is in Sudbury. 

Read the rest of this entry »

John W. Lill, P. Eng. was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of FNX Mining on September 17, 2007. 

From 2003-7, Mr. Lill was Executive Vice-President, COO and Director of Dynatec Corporation which was responsible for the initial development and operation of the mining properties currently owned by FNX in Sudbury. 

Mr. Lill is a professional engineer with over 30 years of leadership and senior executive experience in Africa, USA, Canada and South America developing, expanding and operating more than 20 of the world’s major mines. He is a graduate of Queen’s University with Honours Bachelor of Science (Mining Engineering).

His career highlights include Manager Mining at Rio Tinto’s Palabora Mining Company’s at the time a 350,000 tonne per day copper open pit in South Africa; Senior Vice-President US Operations for Barrick Gold Corporation during the initial development of the Goldstrike Mine to the point that the operation was producing two million ounces of gold per annum and President and COO Base Metals for BHP Billiton and Executive Chairman of the owner’s Management Committee with overall responsibility for the development of the US$2.3 billion Antamina Mine in Peru.

As COO of Dynatec Mr. Lill held a key leadership role in the development of the US $3.3 billion Ambatovy Project, now in construction.  This experience should prove very helpful in FNX’s pursuit of nickel laterite mining and processing projects. Mr. Lill is an experienced director of public companies having served on a number of boards including Western Oil Sands, Dynatec Corporation and FNX.