Critical Minerals for a Decarbonised Economy
The Critical Minerals Institute Directors
Tracy Weslosky
Managing Director
Jack Lifton
Chairman
Christopher Ecclestone
Director
Byron W King
Director
Managing Director
Chairman
Director
Director
Copyright © 2023 Critical Minerals Institute is a subsidiary of InvestorIntel Corp. All Rights Reserved.
Tracy Weslosky is one of the CMI founders and is the CEO for InvestorIntel.com. An entrepreneur, she is also the President of 724 Capital Corp., a consulting firm that capitalizes on her +30 years of experience owning an Investor Relations firm and providing investment banking service solutions. Having held numerous Board and Advisory Board positions, Tracy’s past business experience includes being the co-founder of a FTSE recognized rare earth indices company (2011-2014), hosting the largest rare earths conference outside of China for 8 years in a row, and being a principal partner in a boutique investment banking firm that held an Exempt Market Dealers license for 8 years (2007-2013). This same firm was the catalyst for the business television series Dealflow, which was distributed in 294 million households worldwide (2008-2010). She still actively writes and speaks on ESG and the critical materials sector. Tracy has worked with over 2000 publicly-listed companies since entering the financial markets, following a successful career in the music industry during the nineties (1993-1999). She received her BA in Political Science from the University of Tennessee in 1988, and still considers herself to be a Volunteer.
Jack Lifton is one of the Founders of CMI. A heralded international critical minerals expert, Jack coined the term “technology metals” in 2010 and is a Director and Editor in Chief, Critical Minerals for InvestorIntel.com, a capital market source celebrating its 21st year in business. He is also a Director of InvestorIntel Corp., a consultant, author, and lecturer on the market fundamentals of technology metals. “Technology metals” is a category term now in wide use that he coined at the beginning of the twenty-first century to describe those strategic metals whose electronic properties make our technological society possible. These include copper, the rare earths, the platinum group metals, the steel alloy metals, lithium, cobalt, graphite and most of the rare critical metals and materials necessary for our health, safety, and technologies, both consumer and military. He is on several technical advisory boards in the mining and metal refining sector and is also a founding co-principal of Technology Metals Research, LLC. His consulting is done through Jack Lifton, LLC, a consultancy founded in 1999 on his retirement as the CEO of an OEM automotive supply company specializing in the process chemistry of engineered materials and metals trading. Jack Lifton LLC has advised governmental agencies both at home and abroad on metals industries supply chain issues and has done extensive due diligence on mining, refining, and the fabrication of metals for financial institutions globally. He is a member of numerous professional societies and is a frequent speaker at both professional and industry events on both the markets for technology metals and materials, and on the use of new and newly applied technologies for the extraction, refining and fabrication of rare metals and materials. Jack Lifton is the Director of the Industrial Policy Institute, which advises governments on the development and implementation of national industrial policies for the management of critical metals and materials. Follow Jack on Twitter @JackLifton
Christopher Ecclestone is a Principal and mining strategist at Hallgarten & Company and is based in London. Prior to founding Hallgarten & Company in 2003, he was the head of research at an economic think tank in New Jersey which he had joined in 2001. Before moving to the U.S., he was the founder and head of research at the esteemed Argentine equity research firm, Buenos Aires Trust Company, from 1991 until 2001. Prior to his arrival in Argentina, he worked in London beginning in 1985 as a corporate finance and equities analyst and as a freelance consultant on the restructuring of the securities industry. Earlier, he worked for the Federal and State governments in Australia. He is a native of Melbourne, Australia. He graduated in 1981 from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Byron W King writes about energy, minerals, economic, military and strategic issues. He is a geologist with background in geochemistry, mineralogy and crystallography. He has worked in the energy industry, and also served over 30 years in the U.S. Navy, active and reserve. He holds earned academic degrees from Harvard, the U.S. Naval War College and the University of Pittsburgh.
Marc LeVier has an extensive background in the mining industry with over 50 years of experience as a metallurgical engineer. He has experience in operations and research and development. His experience covers work in multiple mineral systems such as base metals, precious metals, rare earths and uranium. Mr. LeVier is currently President, K. Marc LeVier & Associates, Inc., which provides consulting services to the mining industry. He is also heavily involved in the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration(SME), a mining professional society, and is the SME President Elect, 2023.
Stephen Lautens is one of the CMI founders, and the Editor-in-Chief, Publisher and Director for InvestorIntel Corp. and has extensive experience as a mining executive, consultant, and general counsel, in roles ranging from business development, corporate communications, writing, editing, compliance, and investor relations. He has previously served as a key member of management teams during the growth and successful sale of public and private corporations. With a parallel background in journalism, Stephen has at the same time been a columnist and writer with major newspaper chains and is a current Governor of the National Newspaper Awards.
Melissa Sanderson is the globally experienced and forward-looking Founder of Ethically Sustainable Growth (ESG+), advising boards and companies how to position themselves for sustainable success by embracing diversity, inclusion and compassion. Her 30-year international career includes diplomacy, negotiation, and business. She currently is a Professor of Practice at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona. Melissa served as a senior diplomat, including as Charge d’Affaires in charge of the US Embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. As VP International at Freeport-McMoRan she coordinated Freeport’s environmental, social and governmental functions in Peru and Chile, as well as the DRC. Melissa is the recipient of numerous awards, including the U.S. State Department Superior Honor Award and inclusion in the Who’s Who of American Women Bankers. She serves on several boards, including American Rare Earths Limited, and currently chairs the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations and the Arizona District Export Council.
Mr. Clausi is an experienced investment banker, executive, director and shareholder activist. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School called to Ontario’s bar in 1990, Mr. Clausi has extensive experience in finance, shareholder rights, proxy battles and corporate growth. Mr. Clausi has been a guest lecturer at three Ontario MBA programs, and was an instructor at the Law Society of Upper Canada’s bar admission course for over 10 years. He makes frequent appearances as a shareholder rights and board governance advocate. Among other roles he is the CEO of CBLT Inc., and an independent director and audit committee member of Camrova Resources.
Specialist in technical marketing of critical minerals, metals, and chemicals with a deep understanding of supply chain issues from mine to market. Experienced in value adding across magnet supply chains, identifying supply gaps and investment opportunities. Extensive global experience over 35 years in market research, supply chain analysis, business development strategy and technical marketing services, in advanced ceramics, mineral sands and downstream products, plus rare metals and precursors. Extensive technical knowledge, problem-solving abilities and communication skills to open profitable distribution channels worldwide. Invested in listed companies leveraged to disruptive technologies where convergence of megatrends creates mega opportunities. Interests include passing on this knowledge via education, off grid sustainability, demographics, e-mobility, plus clean energy themes around rare earth magnets, uranium, and copper.
Alastair Neill is an international operations and business development professional with more than 25 years of experience managing all facets of rare earths and critical materials. Alastair has negotiated a foreign joint venture in China for a metals company and led the turnaround of a Chinese operation for an American company.
Steve Mackowski is an Applied Science graduate as well as an ESG systems developer and auditor. A self-confessed business excellence advocate, he has considerable exposure in mineral processing and downstream processes in technical, managerial and project development roles, particularly in the rare earths, uranium and energy resources fields. The resources of the future.
Matt is an Equities Research Analyst (2020 Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance & Investment) with over 22 years of professional experience. He focusses on ‘trend investing’ with areas of specialization including electric vehicles and the EV supply chain, especially the lithium, cobalt, rare earths and other EV metal miners. Matt’s Trend Investing on Seeking Alpha has over 25,000 followers, providing insight into company, commodity and market sector trends. Recent experience includes being selected as the leading adviser for work on an EV supply chain related project for the U.S government.
