Black Rock Mining Ltd (ASX:BKT) has appointed current chief executive officer and executive director John de Vries managing director of the company.
The appointment is effective immediately and de Vries will assume the title of managing director & chief executive officer.
Numerous milestones achieved
Black Rock chairman Richard Crookes said de Vries had demonstrated strong leadership and strategic thinking since his appointment as chief executive officer in April 2017, leading to the achievement of numerous key milestones for the Mahenge Graphite Project in Tanzania.
These include delivery of the definitive feasibility study, offtake customer commitments with a pricing framework, Mahenge’s graphite mining licence, positive pilot plant test work and industry-leading metallurgical results.
Reserves support 16-year mine life
Mahenge has a JOC-compliant mineral resource estimate of 212 million tonnes at 7.8% total graphitic carbon and ore reserves of 70 million tonnes at 9.5% TGC.
These reserves support a mine life of up to 350,000 tonnes of graphite annually for a reserve life of 16 years.
Black Rock is progressing financing discussion and detailed engineering with a view to starting construction of the mine.
“Company now well positioned to advance Mahenge”
Crookes added: “The board congratulates John on his appointment to managing director.
“We look forward to working with him in the short term to finalise the Tanzanian government approvals and project financing for the Mahenge Graphite Project.”