May 30 2015
True Gold Mining Inc. ("True Gold" or the "Company") today announced a strengthened development and operations team with extensive mine building, operational and West African stakeholder relations expertise. The team, composed of both existing and new senior personnel, will be responsible for completing construction of the Karma gold mine, as well as subsequent operations and ongoing community and government relations in Burkina Faso. Karma is on track to pour gold by the end of the first quarter of 2016.
True Gold is pleased to announce it has hired a new Chief Operating Officer to lead the strengthened team. The new COO, who will join the Company and be formally announced by the end of June, is a mining professional with extensive experience in mine operations and project development with recent and relevant West African experience. Peter Carter has resigned as COO to pursue other interests, and we wish him well in his future endeavours.
Christian Milau, True Gold's President and CEO, said, "Over the past few months we have enhanced our project development and operations teams for Karma, leveraging the experience and relationships of our existing management team while adding a number of highly qualified mining leaders and executives in key areas. This team has the experience and skills to bring Karma into production over the next 10 months and execute on the Company's longer term strategy of becoming a leading mid-tier gold producer."
Mark O'Dea, True Gold's Executive Chairman, said, "On behalf of the Board and management team, I want to sincerely thank Peter for his contribution to True Gold over the past years. He has played an important role in designing Karma as a heap leach mine, and bringing the project into the construction phase."
Project and Operations Leadership in Burkina Faso
The project team is led by:
- Doug Perkins, Executive Director, with over 30 years in operations and management of resource and mining companies in Africa, including serving as the CEO of GMA Resources Plc in Algeria (constructed a heap leach mine) and the CFO of Orezone Gold in Burkina Faso. Doug has also taken leadership responsibility for community relations in his various roles;
- Graeme Rapley, Project Manager, with over 30 years of project and construction experience including Tongon in Cote d'Ivoire, Sadiola expansion in Mali, and the treatment plant at Obuasi, Ghana;
- Chris Wentzel, Construction Manager, with over 25 years of experience in civil and mine-related construction in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Mali and Eritrea;
- Ken Engquist, Project Technical Advisor, with over 20 years of experience as a Project Manager for the Cripple Creek and Victor gold mines, Anglogold Ashanti and at Rio Tinto's Oyu Tolgoi and Kennecott Utah Copper; and
- SENET (Pty) Ltd., a leading South African based mineral process and engineering firm which continues as EPCM contractor.
The operations team is starting to take shape as we move towards production in 2016 and is led by:
- John Sampson, Operations Manager, with over 30 years of experience as a mining and general manager in Burkina Faso, DRC, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; and
- Neil Haikney, Processing Manager and Project Technical Advisor, with over 30 years of experience as a Metallurgical Engineer in DRC, Burkina Faso, Ghana, South Africa and North and South America.
Community and Government Relations
True Gold's community and government relations programs are led by:
- Cyriaque Ki, Director General, who has been with True Gold for over 10 years and leads the government relations, community relations and communications activities in Burkina Faso. Cyriaque has a background in geology and extensive relationships in the mining sector and with government in Burkina Faso;
- Emmanuel Goujon, Director of Communications and Government Relations, with over 15 years of experience as a communications adviser and journalist in conflict areas in Africa with international media organisations (BBC, Agence France Press, Radio France International and as a freelance journalist) and he has extensive relationships with government authorities in the region;
- Jean Paul Vancolbert, Community Relations Manager (CSR), with significant African (Algeria, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo and Senegal) experience including site management, community relations, mine start up CSR, conflict management, local government and traditional leader relations, security and safety; and
- Maitre Halidou Ouedraogo, Strategic Advisor. Maitre Halidou is a Senior Magistrate with over 35 years of experience in the field of law and human rights and served as President of the Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court of Burkina Faso. Maitre Halidou is from the province of Yatenga where Karma is located.
About True Gold
True Gold Mining Inc. is where gold comes to life. We are committed to growing a successful gold exploration, development and production company, by focusing on projects with low costs, low technical risks and solid economics. The Company's board, management and technical teams have proven track records in gold exploration, development, operations and production worldwide.
Additional information about the Company and its activities may be found on the Company's website at www.truegoldmining.com and under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Christian Milau, President and CEO
Source: http://www.truegoldmining.com/