W Resources PLC (LON:WRES) has appointed former executives from FTSE 100 miner Rio Tinto PLC (LON:RIO) and Canadian mining firm Lundin Mining Corp to the management team at its La Parrilla tungsten project.
The AIM-listed mining firm said it had appointed Juan Garcia Valledor, a former operations manager at Rio Tinto’s talc ore mining and processing operations in Spain who has recently been involved in the reopening of the Alquife iron ore open pit in Granada, to the position of operations manager at La Parrilla to help “drive the start-up of the low cost open pit mine” at the site as well as leading its operations going forward.
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W also appointed Tomás Bragado, who joins the team from the Aguablanca nickel and copper mine formerly owned by Lundin Mining and 180km from La Parrilla, as plant manager for the project.
Bragado will work closely with La Parrilla’s development manager Aaron Szumilak to prepare for and execute the ramp-up of production at the project’s tungsten and tin processing plant while also recruiting and training key operational and maintenance personnel.
The appoints come as the company aims to complete the construction of the crusher and jig & mill at La Parrilla prior to the new year before starting production in early 2019.
Michael Masterman, chairman of W Resources, said Valledor and Bragado’s “focus on safety, mining and operational performance will be valuable as we develop the project".