Mining industry entrepreneur Joseph Gutnick will give the keynote address at the 3rd Annual Mining the Isa Conference at the Mount Isa Civic Centre on 17-18 November.

Gutnick, President and CEO of Legend International Holdings, will speak on the world’s new appetite for phosphate and its effect on the Mt Isa region.

Demand for phosphate, used primarily in agricultural fertilizers has escalated in recent months in response to world wide food shortages and higher food prices.

Legend International Holdings recently entered into a long term agreement to supply phosphate from its Lady Annie project in Queensland to Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), India’s largest fertilizer enterprise, a cooperative with over 50 million farmers associated with it.

The conference program includes presentations from established mining companies in the Mount Isa region, junior companies, and infrastructure stakeholders including water, energy and transport companies.

Among them are Steve de Kruijff, Chief Operating Officer, Xstrata Copper who will give an update on operations and Mark Lynch, Managing Director of Citgold Corporation, who will report on the Charters Towers goldfield development.

Betty Kiernan, the state Member for Mount Isa and Bob Katter, the Federal Member for Kennedy, will also address the conference.

It is also being reported that East Perth-based North Australian Diamonds has appointed former Joseph Gutnick as its executive chairman ahead of a planned $6 million capital raising for work on its Merlin diamond mine.

Mr Gutnick, who currently serves as chief executive of phosphate company Legend International, will also underwrite a planned capital raising through his company, Yahalom International Resources Corporation.

North Australian plans to raise $6 million through the placement of 750 million shares at 0.8 cents each in order to partially complete a detailed feasibility study on the project, located in the Northern Territory.

Current North Australian chair John Hopkins will continue to act as a non-executive of the company, while Tom Reddicliffe will retain his chief executive role but retire from his board seat.

Meanwhile, Shmais reported last week that during Hakofos on Simchas Torah day held in the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s room, the Gabbai made announcements of the many people who donated money to Lubavitch Mosdos – Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch & Machne Yisroel for the purchase of Ata Horaisa. Among those whose name was called out, was Yossel Gutnick, who donated a whopping $1,000,000.00.

(Yehuda Drusgestein – YWN)