US nickel refinery Westwin Elements has hired David Kronenfeld as chief legal officer, a newly created role.
Kronenfeld was most recently general counsel at mining and manufacturing business USA Rare Earth. He brings more than 15 years of legal experience to his new role, with expertise in corporate transactions and securities law, as well as critical minerals-related issues. At Westwin, he will oversee all corporate legal matters.
Oklahoma-based Westwin is seeking to advance the US’s nickel refining capacity, with plans to invest $502m in a commercial refinery in Natchez, Mississippi.
KaLeigh Long, founder and CEO of Westwin, said: “David brings a strong understanding of the growing critical minerals industry in the US. As we advance our commercial refinery in Natchez, his experience will be an important asset in helping us navigate the next stage of growth.”
Kronenfeld spent five and a half years at USA Rare Earth before departing in August. He previously had spells as a senior associate at Hunter Business Law and Cotney Construction Law, as well as an associate at Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen, all in the Tampa Bay area.
Prior to that he worked in-house as associate GC at ocean mining company Odyssey Marine Exploration and as an associate at investment banking business Clayton Capital Partners.
During his time at USA Rare Earth, he helped support the company develop a domestic supply chain for rare earth elements and permanent magnets used in the defence, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Kronenfeld said: “Westwin is taking important steps to expand America’s domestic nickel refining capacity, and I’m excited to be part of that work. I grew up in a region that saw its industrial capacity depart for foreign shores in the 1990s and early 2000s. As a result, I’ve devoted much of my career to the critical minerals industry in order to reshore the manufacturing capacity needed to maintain American independence and national security.
“I look forward to working with the team as we build on our foundation in Oklahoma and advance commercial-scale nickel refining in Mississippi.”
In other in-house mining-related moves, last month oil and gas exploration business North American Blue Energy Partners hired Sara Chouraqui as GC from the UK’s Serious Fraud Office. And in May, Rio Tinto said it was lining up BP’s deputy GC Trudi Charles as its next CLO, replacing Isabelle Deschamps who was set to leave the role in August.
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