CASA GRANDE, AZ & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arizona Sonoran Copper Company Inc. (TSX:ASCU | OTCQX:ASCUF) (“ASCU” or the “Company”), an emerging copper developer and near-term producer, continues to build the development and production team onsite at the Cactus Mine Project. The Company has appointed Harold (Bernie) Loyer as Senior VP Projects, replacing Ian McMullan as Chief Operating Officer and Christopher White as Chief Geologist to support Doug Bowden, VP Exploration. Ian McMullan will be staying with the Company for up to six weeks to assist with the transition of his duties.
George Ogilvie, Arizona Sonoran President and CEO commented, “As the development of Parks/Salyer and the Cactus Mine Project progress towards PFS in Q1 2024, we have been focused on building a locally-based technical operations and development team, with the appointments of Victor Moraila (Chief Mine Engineer), Graeme Hendricks (Senior Mine Engineer), Dan Johnson (Projects Director), Greg Phillips (Project Superintendent), John Peterson (Senior Environmental Professional) and now Bernie and Christopher. With the substantial growth to the size and scale of our Cactus Mine Project, the building blocks are in place to deliver a clear and streamlined path to construction and development, pending decision post-Feasibility Study in late 2024. Bernie’s experiences building complex mining projects, including BHP’s Escondida and Torex Gold’s, Morelos and Media Luna, will fare well with our two proposed underground projects and one open pit project at Cactus and Parks/Salyer, while Christopher’s mine geology experience with major mining projects will complement our current management team.”
Ogilvie continued, “I would like to thank Ian for his invaluable contribution over the last several years, placing the Company on a solid foundation and primed for future successes. The Board, ASCU team and I wish Ian well with his future endeavors and appreciate him working with the new incumbent Bernie through a transitionary period.”
Bernie Loyer is a Project Mining Executive with over 35 years of international mining experience including over 20 years in LATAM, having worked in Peru, Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Ecuador. As Senior VP Projects, he will lead the engineering, procurement and management resources in the development and execution of Arizona Sonoran’s project portfolio. Arizonan Bernie Loyer joins ASCU from SolGold where he held the position of VP Projects leading the development of the Porvenir and Cascabel projects in Ecuador. A mechanical engineer, fluent in English and Spanish, Mr. Loyer holds multiple patents for the design of process and material handling equipment. Mr. Loyer has a proven track record delivering large scale mining projects including Goldcorp's Penasquito Project in Zacatecas, Mexico, Goldcorp´s Cerro Negro Project in Santa Cruz, Argentina and Torex Gold´s Morelos Project in Guerrero, Mexico. Mr. Loyer spent five years at FLSmidth Minerals based in Copenhagen serving as Vice President, Minerals Technology and Chief Product Officer where he was responsible for all global process technology, manufacturing and material handling. Prior to that he served 15 years with BHP Billiton, spending the last 10 years in Peru and Chile where he held operational, maintenance and project leadership positions. Bernie will be based at our project site and our Tempe, Arizona office.
Christopher White brings 15 years of progressive experience leading mine geology programs, including ore assurance and technical manager roles within technical studies. He joins from the Moss Mine in Arizona (open pit) as Chief Geologist where he was responsible for mine geology, ore control, drilling programs, including near mine exploration and infill drilling, greenfield exploration, planning, analysis and modelling. Prior to that, he held progressively senior roles as Senior Mine Geologist at Goldstrike, Nevada Gold Mines, focused on open pit geology and mapping, Geology Manager at Albemarle Corporation’s Kings Mountain and Senior Geologist / Acting Chief Geologist at Freeport McMoRan’s Bagdad Mine.
Christopher earned his B.Sc Geology from the University of Wisconsin, and M.Sc Geology from the University of Minnesota.
Neither the TSX nor the regulating authority has approved or disproved the information contained in this press release.
About Arizona Sonoran Copper Company (www.arizonasonoran.com | www.cactusmine.com)
ASCU’s objective is to become a mid-tier copper producer with low operating costs and to develop the Cactus and Parks/Salyer Projects that could generate robust returns for investors and provide a long term sustainable and responsible operation for the community and all stakeholders. The Company's principal asset is a 100% interest in the Cactus Project (former ASARCO, Sacaton mine) which is situated on private land in an infrastructure-rich area of Arizona. Contiguous to the Cactus Project is the Company’s 100%-owned Parks/Salyer deposit that could allow for a phased expansion of the Cactus Mine once it becomes a producing asset. The Company is led by an executive management team and Board which have a long-standing track record of successful project delivery in North America complemented by global capital markets expertise.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of ASCU to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals; the results of drilling; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the properties; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; results of exploration programs; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; or delays in obtaining governmental approvals, projected cash operating costs, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals.
Although ASCU has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and ASCU disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.
