SepFluor former CEO Rob Wagner
Photo by: Creamer Media
South African fluorspar producer SepFluor has appointed Hendrik Snyman to succeed Rob Wagner as CEO.
Wagner stepped down as CEO on December 31, 2023, but will remain as an adviser to the company throughout this year, while also remaining a SepFluor director.
“Rob has been an extremely valuable leader at SepFluor, bringing decades of industry experience and operational acumen as CEO. His dedication, drive for excellence and selfless leadership style has enabled SepFluor to be the company it is today,” comments chairperson Dr Lelau Mohuba.
“Hendrik is well positioned to continue advancing our strategy and SepFluor’s long-term success," he adds.
Meanwhile, SepFluor expects to achieve higher throughput this year, having set its production guidance for this year at between 160 000 t and 170 000 t of acid grade fluorspar (acidspar) and between 18 000 t and 22 000 t of metallurgical grade fluorspar (metspar).
The company states that fluorspar markets have remained robust post the Covid-19 pandemic, with strong underlying demand fundamentals.
SepFluor’s Nokeng fluorspar mine, north-east of Pretoria, in Gauteng, was commissioned in 2019 and has positioned itself as a supplier of acidspar internationally, with a customer base in the US, Europe, the Middle East and India.
The two products produced from the ore mined at Nokeng – acidspar and metspar – remain in demand internationally, with strong and increasing demand from markets in the US, India, the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, Europe, SepFluor says.
Looking ahead, Snyman says the company’s main priority is to accelerate the development of its Wiltin deposit for incorporation into Nokeng’s proven reserve and, secondly, to complete further exploration of and a definitive feasibility study on its Wallmannsthal deposit.