Francis R. McAllister (age 63) was appointed Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective February 12, 2001. Mr. McAllister was appointed a Director of the company on January 9, 2001. Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. McAllister was with ASARCO Incorporated from 1966 to 1999, most recently serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1999, Chief Operating Officer from 1998 to 1999, Executive Vice President — Copper Operations from 1993 to 1998, Chief Financial Officer from 1982 to 1993 and in various professional and management positions from 1966 to 1982. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Cleveland Cliffs, Incorporated, an iron ore mining company. Mr. McAllister received his MBA from New York University, his Bachelor of Science - Finance from the University of Utah, and attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Norimet Nominees

Each of the directors set forth below was nominated to the Board by Norimet Limited and has been a director of the Company pursuant to the Company's Stockholders Agreement with Norimet and Norilsk Nickel.

Craig L. Fuller (age 55). Craig L. Fuller has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, a national and international trade association representing the chain pharmacy industry, since 1999. Mr. Fuller was the Chairman of the Global Board Services Practice and Managing Director of Korn/ Ferry International, an executive recruiting firm, from 1996 to 1999. From 1981 to 1985, he served as assistant for Cabinet Affairs to President Ronald Reagan and from 1985 to 1989 he served as the Chief of Staff to Vice President George Bush. Mr. Fuller is a director of Capital Automotive REIT, the United States Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Retail Federation, and Instant Dx. Mr. Fuller also serves as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sure Scripts, Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Advancement of Community Pharmacy and Chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation.

Steven S. Lucas (age 40). Steven S. Lucas is a partner at Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor, a law firm based in California. He joined Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor in 1995 and has been a partner since 1999. Mr. Lucas was an attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell from 1991 to 1995. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1990.

The Honorable Donald W. Riegle, Jr. (age 68). The Honorable Donald W. Riegle, Jr. has been the Chairman of Government Affairs at APCO Worldwide Inc., a global public affairs and communications company, since May 2001. Mr. Riegle was with Shandwick International, a public relations and communications management firm, from 1995 to 2001, and became Deputy Chairman. He served as a United States Senator from Michigan from 1976 to 1994 and in the House of Representatives from 1967 to 1976. Mr. Riegle is a director of Wellpoint Inc. Mr. Riegle received his B.A. in Economics and Business from the University of Michigan and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from Michigan State University. He continued his doctoral studies in Business and Government Relations at Harvard Business School.

Todd D. Schafer (age 44). Todd D. Schafer is an attorney at Hogan & Hartson L.L.P., a major international law firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. Mr. Schafer joined Hogan & Hartson L.L.P. in 1995 and has been a partner since 1998. Mr. Schafer, who is based in London, is a member of his firm’s European Management Group and a Practice Director for the firm’s Corporate, Securities and Finance Group. Prior to joining Hogan and Hartson (1989-1995), Mr. Schafer worked at Covington & Burling. Mr. Schafer received a J.D. from Harvard University Law School in 1989, a M. Phil from Oxford University in 1986 and a B.A. in 1984 from Vassar College.

Public Directors

Each of the directors set forth below was nominated to be elected as a Public Director. In accordance with the Company's Stockholders Agreement with Norimet and Norilsk Nickel, each Public Director (i) may not be an officer, employee or director of Norimet and Norilsk Nickel, or any of its affiliates, (ii) must meet the requirements set forth in Sections 303.01(B)(2)(a) and (B)(3) of the listing requirements of the NYSE, as may be amended from time to time, and (iii) must meet such other requirements regarding the independence of directors as may be applicable to the Company.

Patrick M. James (age 61). Patrick M. James was appointed a director of the Company on January 9, 2001 and has served as the Company's lead independent director since July 24, 2002. Since March 2001, Mr. James has been an independent natural resource management consultant. Mr. James was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Rio Algom Limited from June 1997 to March 2001. Prior to joining Rio Algom Limited, Mr. James spent 18 years with Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation, becoming President and Chief Operating Officer in 1994 and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer in 1995. Mr. James is currently a director of Dynatec Corporation, a Canadian nickel mining company, chairman and director, Centerra Gold Inc., a Canadian gold mining company, and chairman and director, Constellation Copper Corporation, a Canadian base metals mining company. He also serves on the advisory board for Resource Capital Fund III, a mining investment fund.

Joseph P. Mazurek (age 57). Joseph P. Mazurek has been a director of the Company since May 24, 2001. Since 2002, Mr. Mazurek has been a partner in the law firm of Crowley, Haughey, Hanson, Toole & Dietrich, P.L.L.P. located in its Helena, Montana office. He has been a member of this firm's executive committee since January 2004. He was the Attorney General for the State of Montana from January 1993 until December 2000, served in the Montana Senate from 1981 through 1992 and was elected President of the Senate from 1991 to 1993. From 1975 through 1992, he was an attorney with the Helena, Montana law firm of Gough, Shanahan, Johnson and Waterman. Mr. Mazurek received his B.A. in Business Administration (Finance) in 1970 and his J.D. in 1975 from the University of Montana.

Sheryl K. Pressler (age 55). Sheryl K. Pressler has been a director of the Company since May 9, 2002. Ms. Pressler has been a self-employed investment and strategy consultant in Atlanta, Georgia since 2001. From 2000 to 2001, she was Chief Executive Officer for Lend Lease Real Estate Investments -- United States, a subsidiary of Lend Lease Corporation, an Australian real estate services company. From 1994 to 2000, she was the Chief Investment Officer for the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the nation's largest public pension fund. From 1981 to 1994, she was responsible for the management of the Retirement Funds for the McDonnell Douglas Corporation. Ms. Pressler has served on the Board of Directors of ING Funds Unified since 2006. Ms. Pressler was a director of Nuevo Energy Company from 2002 until 2004. Ms. Pressler received her B.A. in philosophy from Webster University and her M.B.A. from Washington University.