Appointment of Technical Director

RNS Number : 3937U

Alba Mineral Resources PLC

24 October 2017

 

Alba Mineral Resources plc

("Alba" or the "Company")

Alba Appoints Technical Director

Alba Mineral Resources plc (AIM: ALBA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Howard Baker as the Company's Technical Director with immediate effect.  Although not a Board appointment, Mr Baker will have technical oversight of the exploration and development of all of Alba's projects, reporting directly to the Board.

Howard Baker is a resource geologist with over 20 years' experience covering multiple commodities from early stage exploration through to definitive feasibility studies.  Mr Baker is the Managing Director of Baker Geological Services Ltd, which provides technical expertise to the exploration and mining industry.

Mr Baker previously worked for the international mining consultancy, SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd ("SRK"), where he was employed for eight years as a Principal Consultant and Practice Leader. In his time at SRK, he played a key role in advising on drill programmes and in the development of numerous large scale projects. Prior to his time at SRK, Mr Baker worked for Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Iluka Resources, Western Mining Corporation and Anaconda Nickel.  He is a Chartered professional fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Mr Baker has significant mineral sands experience having previously worked for Iluka Resources, the largest producer of zircon and titanium dioxide-derived rutile and synthetic rutile globally.  In addition, while Principal Consultant at SRK, he was the Competent Person responsible for the Mineral Resource Estimate at the Melville Bay Iron Ore Project, which is now part of Alba's portfolio of mining projects.

George Frangeskides, Execution Chairman, commented:  "I have known Howard for many years and am delighted that he has joined our team at Alba.  Howard led the recent maiden field programme at our new Thule Black Sands Project in Greenland.  His background and experience, not least in mineral sands with the premier producer Iluka Resources, is extremely relevant to Alba.  When at SRK, he also signed off on the JORC resource at our recently acquired Melville Bay Iron Ore Project."

"Howard comes from a blue chip professional background and I am delighted that he sees the potential within Alba's projects and has agreed to join us as we look to build serious value in those projects."

Howard Baker commented:  "I am delighted to be joining the Alba team and I am particularly excited about helping to advance the Thule Black Sands and Amitsoq Graphite projects in Greenland.  Since my time working for the Iluka Resources and SRK Consulting, I have been looking for the right opportunity to utilise my position as a recognised Competent Person in the mineral sands industry.  The field programme I recently led at Alba's Thule Black Sands project confirmed the existence of a significant mineral sands province where ilmenite accumulations are now being explored by Alba, as well as by Bluejay Mining plc in a neighbouring licence.  Samples collected during that field campaign are currently being tested and we look forward to updating shareholders in due course and planning the next field season where our objective will be to make rapid progress in developing the Project."

"The Amitsoq Graphite Project in southern Greenland has also progressed significantly as a result of this summer's field programme and it now appears evident that the potential is far greater than originally envisioned. Both Thule and Amitsoq pave the way for an exciting 2018 and beyond and I am looking forward to working with the Chairman and the rest of the Alba team to advance these projects for the benefit of Alba's shareholders."

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.

For further information, please contact:

Alba Mineral Resources plc

George Frangeskides (Executive Chairman)       Tel: [phone]

Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nomad)

James Caithie/Liam Murray                              Tel: [phone]

Dowgate Capital Stockbrokers Ltd (Broker)

Neil Badger                                                   Tel: [phone]

Alba's Project Portfolio

Oil & Gas

Horse Hill (Oil & Gas, UK): Alba holds a 15 per cent interest, and has conditionally agreed to acquire a further 3.1 per cent interest, in Horse Hill Developments Limited, the company which has a 65 per cent participating interest and operatorship of the Horse Hill oil and gas project (licences PEDL 137 and PEDL 246) in the UK Weald Basin.

Brockham (Oil & Gas, UK): Alba has a direct 5% interest in Production Licence 235, which comprises the previously producing onshore Brockham Oil Field.

Mining

Amitsoq (Graphite, Greenland):  Alba owns a 90 per cent interest in the Amitsoq Graphite Project in Southern Greenland and has an option over the remaining 10 per cent. 

Black Sands (Ilmenite, Greenland):  Alba owns 100 per cent of mineral exploration licences 2017/29 and 2017/39 in the Thule region, north-west Greenland.

Melville Bay (Iron Ore, Greenland): Alba is entitled to a 51 per cent interest in mineral exploration licence 2017/41 in Melville Bay, north-west Greenland.  The licence area benefits from an existing inferred JORC resource of 67 Mt @ 31.4% Fe.

Inglefield Land (Copper, Cobalt, Gold): Alba owns 100 per cent of mineral exploration licence 2017/40 in north-west Greenland.

Limerick (Base Metals, Ireland): Alba has 100 per cent of the Limerick base metal project in the Republic of Ireland.

El Mreiti (Uranium, Mauritania): Alba has applied for the reissue of a uranium permit in northern Mauritania, centred on known uranium-bearing showings.

Alba continues actively to review numerous other project opportunities which have value-enhancing potential for the Company whether by bolt-on or stand-alone acquisition, farm in or joint venture.

Web: www.albamineralresources.com

 

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