Nova Minerals Corp (ASX:NVA, NYSE-A:NVA, FRA:QM30) has strengthened its board with the appointment of former JP Morgan metals and mining professional Joshua Girnun as the company advances its US-focused critical minerals strategy and Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska.
Girnun’s appointment, effective July 1, 2026, comes as Nova moves through what it describes as a pivotal execution phase following its redomiciliation from Australia to the United States. The company said the move was designed to better align its corporate structure with its predominantly US asset base, broaden access to American government and institutional capital and support potential index inclusion.
Board appointment supports next phase
Girnun brings institutional finance, risk underwriting and technical resources experience to the Nova board.
At JP Morgan Chase & Co, he co-founded a client-facing risk underwriting team covering metals and mining, energy, renewables, industrials, oil and gas, and agriculture. He also helped develop the firm’s internal risk standard for the natural resources sector and worked across corporate lending, project finance, trade finance and capital markets transactions.
Girnun’s background is expected to support the company as it progresses Estelle through feasibility, assesses new project opportunities and prepares for near-term production of military-grade antimony trisulfide.
Estelle and antimony strategy in focus
Nova is advancing the Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska, which it describes as one of the world’s largest undeveloped gold deposits and a potential source of domestic US antimony supply.
The company’s antimony strategy is supported by a US$43.4 million award from the US Department of War under the Defense Production Act, with Nova targeting domestic antimony supply chain development and production in late 2026/2027.
CEO Christopher Gerteisen said Girnun’s experience in resource transaction evaluation at the institutional level would be useful as Nova moves from development toward production.
“We believe that Josh’s experience in evaluating resource transactions at the highest level of institutional finance will be helpful as the Company executes on its continuing strategy to develop our properties, and his decision to join our Board reflects a level of conviction in this Company’s assets and trajectory,” Gerteisen said.
“Significant undeveloped” North American asset
Girnun said Estelle was “one of the most significant undeveloped gold and critical minerals assets in North America”, citing its location in a proven belt with a 220-million-ounce gold endowment and the US$43.4 million government commitment supporting Nova’s antimony plans.
Estelle hosts two defined multi-million-ounce gold resources and more than 20 prospects across a 35-kilometre mineralised trend in Alaska’s Tintina Gold Belt, a region that includes major gold mines and discoveries such as Kinross Gold’s Fort Knox Gold Mine.