NextSource Materials Inc. (TSX:NEXT, OTCQB:NSRCF) said on Thursday that Johnny Velloza will step down as interim chief operating officer following a tenure marked by operational improvements at the company’s Molo graphite mine in Madagascar.
The Toronto-listed miner said Velloza’s responsibilities will be assumed by Nick Miller, who has been named acting executive vice president of operations, a newly consolidated role that combines the duties of COO and general manager as part of a broader organizational restructuring.
Miller, who previously served as NextSource’s director of risk controls, has held senior roles at major global mining firms including Rio Tinto and ArcelorMittal. He was part of the development team at Rio Tinto’s Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project in Mongolia and worked on operational improvements at ArcelorMittal Mining.
“Nick’s experience will be pivotal as we continue to optimize operations and build the foundation for the next phase of Molo’s expansion,” said CEO Hanré Rossouw in a statement.
NextSource said the appointment comes as it advances Phase 1 of the Molo project and prepares for the upcoming Phase 2 expansion.