Gold industry leader and Northern Star Resources Chief Executive Officer Stuart Tonkin joined the Gold Industry Group Board of Directors last week as he looks forward to working alongside the experienced team to grow the Group.
“There is a great opportunity to tell our story and show our support for the community as an industry.
“The gold industry is a significant contributor to the socio and economic fabric of our country and we often don’t tell our story as well as some of the other resource sectors,” Mr Tonkin said.
“I’m really excited to support the GIG on their journey to connect the industry with the wider community, educate the next generation, champion industry issues of importance and leave a legacy for gold through long-term programs.
“The GIG’s vision aligns with that of the broader gold sector and is the ideal platform for increasing community awareness and understanding of the contributions that gold as an industry delivers back to the regions of Australia,” Mr Tonkin concluded.
Northern Star Resources is Australia’s third largest gold producer with a strong operational presence in Western Australia, and one development project in the Northern Territory.
Mr Tonkin commenced as Chief Executive Officer of Northern Star Resources in 2016 and has been with the Company since 2013. He in is a mining engineer with more than 20 years’ experience working in the underground hard-rock mining industry.
Prior to Northern Star he was Chief Operating Officer for mining contractor Barminco, and a non-executive director of African Underground Mining Services Ghana. Mr Tonkin holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) with Honours from the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) and is a member of the WASMA Council.
GIG Chairperson and Perth Mint Chief Executive Officer, Richard Hayes, said Mr Tonkin was a strong addition to the team.
“Stuart leads one of the biggest and fastest growing gold producers in our country and his insights and expertise is invaluable to the GIG.
“The GIG Directors are delighted to welcome Stuart to the Board,” said Mr Hayes.
Northern Star Resources been an active member of the Gold Industry Group since its inception and has supported a number of industry and community initiatives including the Perth and Kalgoorlie Heart of Gold Discovery Trails, School Program and annual Women in Gold and Digital Mine events.
Northern Star Resources has a strong focus on supporting and engaging the community and recently expanded its Aboriginal Ranger employment program to its Kalgoorlie operations. The Company was a finalist in the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) 2017 Community Partnership Awards for successfully forming meaningful relationships and enduring outcomes for communities for the same program.
Last year, Northern Star donated a gold bar to Telethon and further committed $1 million over four years to assist with research into children’s respiratory health through the Telethon Kids Institute.
The Company will also invest substantially in building its underground mining skill-set, ensuring the goldfields region of Western Australia is positioned as the global hub for technical underground hard-rock mining. This initiative includes significant investment in the education and training of the states future mine operators through provisions of apprenticeships and traineeships.
“The GIG has a very effective Board, and we are committed to growing and promoting gold’s significant role in Australia and beyond,” concluded Mr Hayes.
Recent gold miners to join the GIG include Saracen Mineral Holdings, Westgold Resources, Silver Lake Resources, St Barbara Limited and Evolution Mining.