Shares in Avalon Minerals have been placed in a trading halt pending an announcement from the Sweden-focused junior mineral explorer on a capital raising and management changes.

The trading halt is expected to last until Monday February 13 or when an announcement is made.

Shares in the Perth-based company last traded at 7.5 cents.

Chairman David McSweeney, Avalon's former managing director, stepped down from the company this week and a replacement is being sought.

In December, Democratic Republic of Congo-focused copper producer Mawson West terminated a share subscription agreement with Avalon that would have raised $3.88 million.

Avalon's flagship asset is the Viscaria copper-magnetite iron ore project, 1,200 kilometres north of Stockholm.

The company aims to deliver first ore from Viscaria in the first quarter of 2013.