JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX- and Aim-listed Wolf Minerals has appointed Richard Lucas as interim MD to succeed outgoing MD Russell Clark, who will step down at the end of April.
The company has concluded that greater on site executive team commitment is required to ensure the long-term successful operation of the Drakelands mine, in the UK, and Clark is unable to relocate from Australia.
With the processing plant improvement nearing completion, the next six months will be a pivotal time for the company in achieving full ramp-up to realise its objective of becoming a reliable steady-state producer.
"Over the last three -and-a-half years, Clark has transformed Wolf from an Australia-based project developer into a UK producer through the construction of the Drakelands project,” chairperson John Hopkins said in a statement.
He added that Clark was instrumental in obtaining the required equity project finance for Drakelands, as well as securing its recent licence extension and 24/7 work permit.
“On behalf of the board, I'd like to sincerely thank Clark for his efforts and achievements to date at Wolf, and wish him well for his future endeavours," he said.
He noted that Wolf now needs to complete the ramp-up and settle into its long-term form as a UK-based producer of tungsten concentrate, with reliable steady-state production.
“This naturally requires a concerted focus on the UK operations to bring about this change."