Mining giant ends bitter legal fight with former staff
Fortescue has ended a long, public battle with former employees accused of stealing data from the iron ore miner for its green iron initiative.
Lawyers for the mining giant had alleged that former chief scientist Bart Kolodziejczyk and technology development leader Bjorn Winther-Jensen used green iron technology they helped develop while working for the miner to create rival startup Element Zero.
Element Zero’s general manager Michael Masterman, another former Fortescue employee, was also taken to court over the matter.
But after countless court appearances and months of disputes, the mining giant and startup controlled by Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest confirmed Wednesday that the legal trouble is over.
Mr Masterman welcomed the result and said it would end almost two years of uncertainty for Element Zero.
“We are happy to put this chapter behind us,” he said in a statement.
“We can now focus all our deep and talented technical resources on rapidly advancing our iron ore-to-iron technology and developing our production facilities in the Pilbara hub of Port Hedland and in the USA.”
According to Element Zero, each party will pay their own costs.
Fortescue, one-third owned by billionaire and company chairman Mr Forrest, also confirmed the result on Wednesday.
He had previously sought damages or compensation, which could include Element Zero’s profits from the allegedly stolen invention.
“We have reached an agreement with the parties, the terms of which are confidential,” a Fortescue spokesman said in a statement.
During the discussion, Element Zero accused Fortescue of using “unprecedented surveillance” and using private detectives to go after his former employees.
In 2024, Element Zero’s offices and the homes of Dr Kolodziejczyk and Dr Winther-Jensen were searched by Federal Court order and four terabytes of material were seized.
Mr. Masterman and Mr. Forrest had been close before; The former employee had told the court that she maintained relatively regular contact with Fortescue after leaving him, including attending parties and the billionaire’s father’s funeral.
The lawsuit accused Element Zero and its executives of breach of contract, copyright infringement, violations of corporate and consumer law, and breach of fiduciary duties.
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