JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Gold and uranium producer Simmer & Jack Mines (Simmers) has appointed former COO Deon van der Mescht as MD of the company’s gold division, with immediate effect.

Van der Mescht will be responsible for overseeing the strategic management of Simmers’ gold operations, namely the Buffelsfontein Gold Mining Company (BGM), Tau Lekoa gold mine (TLGM), and Transvaal gold mining estates (TGME).

Van der Mescht’s position will be filled by former GM of mining operations at Impala Platinum (Implats), Chris Vermeulen, who will join Simmers on April 23.

Prior to joining Implats in 2005, Vermeulen held senior management positions at Randfontein, Blyvooruitzicht and BGM.

Simmers said that Vermeulen’s focus would be on surface and underground production at TGME and ensure the seamless integration of the recently acquired TLGM into BGM.

Also joining the Simmers team was gold analyst Nick Goodwin, who took up the role of investor relations’ executive on April 1.

Goodwin has over 30 years experience as a fund and portfolio manager and holds a Pr Eng and a BSc Eng(Rand) Engineering. A mining analyst since 1979, Goodwin specializes in gold and base metals.

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