About
About Northback
Northback is committed to creating a better future through responsible and innovative resource development.
Our Canadian operations are focused on the development of the Grassy Mountain steel-making coal project with offices located in Calgary and the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta.
The Grassy Mountain project sits on unrestored land that was mined over 60-years-ago, it is now a proposed high-quality, modern steelmaking coal project that will be reclaimed during the lifetime of the project.
At Northback, we seek to ensure environmental and social responsibility is at the forefront of our operations, this includes a collaborative and respectful relationship with local communities and Indigenous peoples.
Northback was established in 2023 following the purchase of our predecessor company by our parent company, Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd.
Prioritizing responsible resource development, our name reflects our commitment to Canada, and the proud and responsible mining tradition of our parent company, which is based in the outback of Western Australia.
Leadership
Bradley Johnston, P.Eng.
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Johnston is a mine engineering and logistics professional with a 39-year career in the mining and resources industry, including senior roles for Teck Coal Ltd, NYCO Minerals Inc and Cabin Ridge Project Ltd.
As General Manager at Teck Coal Ltd, Mr. Johnston oversaw the logistics chain for six operating mines, from bulk rail delivery to port operations, vessels and through to customers, and developed the logistics strategies to support those efforts. As General Manager and VP at NYCO Minerals Inc, Mr. Johnston was responsible for leading a team of 350 people across three operating sites, directing all site operating and maintenance activities as well as marketing and distribution. Most recently, Mr. Johnston was CEO with Cabin Ridge Project Ltd.
Mr. Johnston has participated on numerous boards and committees, including as Chair of the Board and Chair of the Environmental Health and Safety Committee for Neptune Bulk Terminals (Vancouver). He has served as a subject matter expert for international M&A projects and business development assignments. Mr. Johnston holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc), Mining Engineering from the University of Alberta and attended advanced management training at the University of Chicago.
The Project
Grassy Mountain is a proposed high-quality, modern steel-making coal project that is environmentally, socially responsible, and respectful of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
The coal in Grassy Mountain is also known as metallurgical coal, which will be used to make steel, a basic building block for any economy and critical to the global energy systems. Canada is the world’s third-largest steelmaking coal exporter and home to some of the highest-quality reserves. The demand outlook for steelmaking coal remains high.
The project sits on land that was mined more than 60 years ago and never properly restored but our commitment to the community is that it will be reclaimed during the lifetime of the Grassy Mountain Project.
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