Christopher Boon

BEng (Mech) (Hons), RPEQ, CPEng

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Chris is an experienced engineer and financial analyst with nearly 20 years’ experience across minerals processing, mining, and industrial sectors. He has over seven years in consultancy, guiding projects from concept through to execution in both greenfield and brownfield environments.

His experience spans major companies such as BHP, Freeport-McMoRan, and Cameco, as well as high-growth firms including Li-Metal Corporation, Samsara Eco, and Alpha HPA, across a wide range of commodities. Chris has independently managed all stages of the project lifecycle concept and detailed design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and troubleshooting and has extensive expertise in financial project evaluation, from scoping studies to due diligence for asset acquisitions.

Expertise

  • Due Diligence & Asset Valuation
  • Project Evaluation & Feasibility Studies
  • Financial Modelling
  • Engineering Optimisation
  • Start-up Ventures

Track Record

  • Chris understands the challenges start-up companies face, being the founding employee and Chief Designer at Li-Metal Corporation for 5 years. He took the initial founder ideas and designed, built and commissioned a pilot-scale lithium metal refining plant. His leadership drove the successful demonstration of refined lithium in 2023, directly contributing to the division’s acquisition by Arcadium Lithium in 2024.
  • Financial Analyst at Palaris with experience in due diligence, asset valuation, and financial modelling. Skilled in vendor model reviews, benchmarking, mine cost replication, and first-principles modelling, with strong capability in CAPEX/OPEX assessment and sensitivity analysis.
  • Chris managed the detailed design phase of the QRCUF critical minerals project in Townsville for Prudentia, leading a multidisciplinary team to deliver all process engineering outputs and five high-criticality packages, including SX and calcination.
  • Managed financial estimation for Alpha HPA’s planned Canadian alumina plant, delivering CAPEX scenarios that highlighted critical climate and logistics risks, directly influencing the company’s site selection strategy.
  • Chris played a key role in Volvo’s Wacol Master Plan, delivering a new cab paint facility by managing layout, suppliers, and logistics. He identified and resolved a major power supply issue, keeping the project on time and budget to meet production targets.