Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien [3] has been appointed as a "senior international adviser" to Ivanhoe Mines [4]. The Executive Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines, Robert Friedland [5], who earned the nickname "Toxic Bob" after a major cyanide spill from a gold mine in Colorado in 1993, was upbeat about the benefits of hiring Chretien. "We believe that Mr. Chretien’s experience and knowledge will be a prime asset in assisting the Ivanhoe companies to continue to build their businesses through opportunities that will be encountered in the energy and mineral resource sectors around the world," he stated in a media release. Ivanhoe Mines has mining development and exploration projects in Mongolia, China, Australia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and the Philippines. Chretien will likely play a role in trying to win approval from the Mongolian government for Ivanhoe's Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine.