Namibian copper exploration and development company Omico Mining has appointed a new project engineer, Mathys du Preez, for its Omitiomire copper project in central Namibia.
He is expected to bring his practical experience to the management team at Omico covering project design, execution, operations and maintenance.
Du Preez is an electrical and mechanical engineer, based in South Africa, and works closely with Omico’s main project engineers Metc Engineering in Johannesburg.
He has more than 40 years’ experience as a project and site manager in Africa, the Americas and in the Asia Pacific, including 15 years working with mining companies Freeport and ERG on major copper projects.
Du Preez also worked for eight years with Glencore as projects and process engineering manager in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and four years as special projects manager covering Glencore’s global copper projects.
His work with Glencore also included the installation of seven electrowinning and five solvent-extraction plants in the DRC. Other experience includes the design of a 220 000 t copper cathode plant in the DRC, and the design of a stacker reclaimer and heap leach system for the Lomas Byas copper mine, in Chile.
“The appointment of . . . Du Preez as project engineer . . . marks a material step in advancing the Omitiomire project towards our final feasibility study and ultimately production.
“Not only does [Du Preez] bring extensive experience in successfully building similar plant and mining projects globally, but he has optimised existing operations to increase efficiency,” Omico CEO Ingo Hofmaier said.