Lion Copper Corp. has announced the appointment of its Chief Executive Officer, John Banning, to the company's Board of Directors. The appointment is effective September 29, 2026, and was disclosed in a Form 8-K filed on October 5, 2026.
Mr. Banning has served in senior executive leadership roles with Lion since 2024, initially as Chief Operating Officer and subsequently as Chief Executive Officer. The company stated that there are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Banning and any other person regarding his selection as a director, and he will not receive additional compensation for his service on the board.
According to the company's accompanying news release, Mr. Banning has led the advancement of the Yerington Copper Project and broader copper portfolio. Under his leadership, the company completed a Pre-Feasibility Study for the Yerington Copper Project and advanced the project into definitive feasibility study and permitting. Additionally, the company secured approximately US$30 million in Stage 3 investment from Nuton, a Rio Tinto venture, and advanced the Bear Deposit through its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.
The Mineral Resource Estimate for the Bear Deposit defines an Indicated Resource of 6.71 billion pounds of contained copper (1,064Mt @ 0.29% Cu) and an Inferred Resource of 8.77 billion pounds of contained copper (1,770Mt @ 0.22% Cu).
Tom Patton, Co-Chair of Lion Copper Corp., commented on the appointment, stating that Mr. Banning's operational, project development, and corporate leadership experience, along with his detailed knowledge of the company and its assets, will be valuable additions to the Board.
