Johnson is a civil engineering graduate from the University of Western Australia with extensive experience in the construction and mining industries in Australia, Southeast Asia and North America.

He was previously chairman of South Blackwater Coal, and of Linc Energy for nearly five years from its IPO in early 2006.

He has also played an instrumental role in the early development of a number of public companies, including Austral Coal and both Portman Mining and Mount Gibson Iron in the iron ore sector.

The appointment has been fully endorsed by Cuesta’s major shareholder, Beijing Guoli Energy, and sees interim chairman Brice Mutton return to his role as non-executive director.

Previous chairman Ian Richer stepped down in October due to personal and health reasons. Richer has been with Cuesta since the inception of the company in 2009 and remains as a non‐executive director.

Cuesta recently raised $12 million through a placement to Beijing Guoli to fast-track its Moorlands project west of the Blair Athol mine in Queensland.

Cuesta has engaged mining consultant Xenith to conduct a scoping study on the Moorlands project and is finalising its development activities for 2013.