West Perth-headquartered Precious Metals Australia has announced a number of key appointments to its management team as it prepares to reopen the Windimurra Vanadium mine in Western Australia.
West Perth-headquartered Precious Metals Australia has announced a number of key appointments to its management team as it prepares to reopen the Windimurra Vanadium mine in Western Australia.
Vanadium expert, Les Ford, has been appointed senior technical consultant to the project for a two year term. He will leave his position as Xstrata Alloy's technical director in South Africa to take up the PMA role in Perth.
Michael Tamlin has joined the company as Senior Marketing Manager, after 10 years with Sons of Gwalia Ltd as general manager, marketing.
The company has also entered into a preferred supplier agreement with South African specialist engineer, Drytech, for the design and supply of key sections of the Windimurra vanadium plant.
The Johannesburg-based Drytech has worked with the South African vanadium industry for many years and is internationally recognised as a leader in industrial drying technology.
Drytech, which performed the pilot scale flash drying testwork on Windimurra magnetite concentrate earlier this year, have been engaged by Hatch Engineers to provide the design and costing for the ferrovanadium, magnetite flash drying and vanadium liquor concentration sections of the plant.
PMA has negotiated preferred supplier status with Drytech. PMA and Hatch technical staff will work closely with Drytech for the design and turn-key supply of these key new areas of the Windimurra plant, which are expected to significantly reduce operating costs, through improved energy efficiency and increased output.
THE FULL STATEMENT APPEARS BELOW.
Dear Sir/Madam
KEY DEVELOPMENTS FOR WINDIMURRA PROJECT AS WORLD CLASS TEAM GROWS FOR RE-OPENING
The directors of PMA are pleased to announce additional key appointments to the team
dedicated to reopening the world-class Windimurra Vanadium mine in Western Australia.
* Pre-eminent vanadium expert, Les Ford, has been appointed Senior Technical Consultant
to the project for a two year term. Les will be leaving South Africa where he was Xstrata
Alloy's Technical Director, and moving to Perth to join PMA.
* Michael Tamlin has joined the company as Senior Marketing Manager, after 10 years with
Sons of Gwalia Ltd as General Manager, Marketing.
* PMA has also entered into a preferred supplier agreement with South African specialist
engineer, Drytech, for the design and supply of key sections of the Windimurra vanadium
plant.
The PMA Board is pleased that despite what is reputed to be a tight skills market, the company is
continuing to attract the highest calibre of professional expertise for the rebuilding of the world class
Windimurra mine.
These latest key appointments follow the appointment earlier this year of Mr Shaun Bunn as Director
of Operations.
Leslie Ford
With 30 years experience, Les Ford is the world's foremost expert in vanadium, having had a key
role in the design and operation of the world's largest vanadium mines. As Group Technical
Director - Vanadium for Xstrata Alloys, Les was responsible for Xstrata's vanadium business in
South Africa, and was previously plant manager of the Rhovan vanadium mine. Prior to Xstrata, Les
was a member of the Executive Committee of the world's largest vanadium producer, Highveld Steel
and Vanadium Co, after having run its vanadium operations. He has visited Windimurra many times
in the past, including during its previous operation.
A Chemical Engineer, Les is well known and respected throughout the ferro-alloys industry by
vanadium users and producers alike. His decision to move with his family to Perth to work full time
on the reopening of Windimurra is a strong expression of confidence in this world class project.
Michael Tamlin
Michael Tamlin is also joining PMA's executive team, to head up the marketing of Windimurra
products, and the development of new product streams. He was previously responsible for world-
wide sales, marketing and distribution of the market-leading tantalum mineral and lithium mineral
and chemical products of Sons of Gwalia Ltd. Michael has significant experience in the marketing
of high value, specialist metals and minerals, particularly in Asia. He speaks Mandarin fluently,
plus French and German, and has extensive contacts throughout the ferro-alloy industry. Michael
has a degree in metallurgy and, as a director of the International Tin Research Institute and the
Tantalum-Niobium International Study Centre, he has extensive experience in the research and
development of expanded markets for specialty metals.
Drytech
Johannesburg-based Drytech has worked with the South African vanadium industry for many
years and is internationally recognised as a leader in industrial drying technology.
Drytech, which performed the pilot scale flash drying testwork on Windimurra magnetite
concentrate earlier this year, have been engaged by Hatch Engineers to provide the design and
costing for the ferrovanadium, magnetite flash drying and vanadium liquor concentration sections
of the plant.
PMA has negotiated preferred supplier status with Drytech. PMA and Hatch technical staff will
work closely with Drytech for the design and turn-key supply of these key new areas of the
Windimurra plant, which are expected to significantly reduce operating costs, through improved
energy efficiency and increased output.
Last week, PMA announced the completion of the Windimurra pre-feasibility study by Hatch and
approval by the PMA Board of a $25 million budget to fast-track 2006 developments on the project.
The Company also announced final results from the January/February 2006 drilling program at
Windimurra extending the drilled strike length of the world class deposit by nearly 50% (1,950m)
from the existing reserve, with the majority of the mineralised horizon still to be tested. The
Combined Resource was increased 47% to 147.75 million tonnes at 0.46% V2O5 (see attached
table).
Windimurra is already the world's largest reported proven vanadium ore reserve at 50.4 million
tonnes at 0.489% V2O5. Grades of up to 1.45% V2O5 plus 48% Fe and 28% TiO2 were
encountered in recent drilling, with the best intercepts including 15m at 0.82% V2O5 from 3m depth.
Construction of the Windimurra project is expected to commence later this year with a targeted
completion by late in 2007.
Yours sincerely
PRECIOUS METALS AUSTRALIA LIMITED
RODERICK SMITH
Managing Director
WINDIMURRA RESOURCE AND RESERVE STATEMENT
The combined Resource in all categories (including the Proven Reserve) now stands at
147.75 Mt at 0.46% V2O5, an increase of 47% over the previous resource calculation.
Windimurra Vanadium Resources Tonnes Grade V2O5
Measured and Indicated Resource 129.75Mt 0.46%
Inferred Resource-Northern 8Mt 0.4%
Inferred Resource-Southern (Shephard's Hill) 10Mt 0.4%
New Total 147.75Mt Average 0.46%
Previously 95.53Mt
0.47%
* The Combined Measured and Indicated Resource is now 129.75 Mt at 0.46% V2O5
including 74 Mt at 0.45% V2O5 in oxidised and 55.27 Mt at .45% V2O5 in unoxidised material.
This resource extends over a total strike length of 5,150m, 1150m further than the
previously declared Combined Measured and Indicated Resource, (as at December 2005),
of 95.53 Mt at 0.47% V2O5 in oxidised and unoxidised material.
* An Inferred Resource has been identified in the 750m strike length immediately north of the
above resource amounting to 8 Mt at 0.4% V2O5 including 4 Mt in oxidised and 4 Mt in
unoxidised material each at 0.4% V2O5.
* To the South of the present resource at Sheppard's Hill an inferred resource has been
calculated of 10 Mt at 0.4% V2O5 including 4 Mt in oxidised and 6 Mt in oxidised each at
0.4% V2O5.
* The Proved Reserve remains unchanged at 50.4 Mt @ 0.489% V2O5 and is included within
the Combined Measured and Indicated Resource stated above.
The information in this report that relates to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves is based on information
compiled by Mrs Hilary Wright who is a member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, London, a fellow of the
Geological Society, London, and a Chartered Geologist, and is an employee of Coffey Mining, who are independent consultants
to Precious Metals Australia Limited. Mrs Hilary Wright has more than five years relevant experience in the style of
mineralisation and types of deposit under consideration and consents to inclusion of the information in this report in the form
and context in which it appears. She is qualified as a Competent person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the "Australasian
Code for reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves".
