Battery metals development company NextSource Materials, which is developing the Molo graphite project, in Madagascar, has appointed Johnny Velloza as interim COO as successor to Robin Borley, who has resigned.
The company states that Velloza has a wealth of technical and operating experience in the mining industry spanning 30 years during which he managed operational optimisation processes and large capital expansions across a range of commodities and in many jurisdictions.
He was previously deputy CEO and COO of Gem Diamonds and CEO of Chemaf.
Prior to that, he was with BHP Western Australia Iron Ore where, from 2013 to 2015, he was GM at Mining Area C, the largest iron-ore mine in the BHP portfolio, leading a number of successful operational efficiency programmes.
He also acted as a senior exploration manager in Zambia and in Chile for BHP from 2011 to 2013, operations manager at AngloGold Ashanti from 2009 to 2010 and held numerous managerial positions at De Beers from 2001 to 2009.
Velloza holds a Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering from The University of Johannesburg and a Bachelor's degree in Business from the University of South Africa.
"I am delighted Johnny has agreed to join NextSource as COO where he will drive the implemention of recommendations made to resolve process issues that have delayed bringing the plant at the Molo mine to its nameplate capacity. I would like to thank Robin for his contributions to NextSource," comments NextSource president and CEO Craig Scherba.