Witwatersrand Consolidated Gold Resources Limited
('Wits Gold' or the 'Company')
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa
(Registration Number 2002/031365/06)
JSE Share Code: WGR ISIN: ZAE000079703
TSX Share Code: WGR CUSIP Number: S98297104
JOHANNESBURG, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Witwatersrand Consolidated Gold Resources or "Wits Gold" (JSE&TSX: WGR; ADR: WIWTY) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bernard Wessels as chief operating officer, effective 1 March 2012.
Bernard is a mining engineer with 14 years' experience in the South African mining industry. He holds a Diploma and Higher Diploma in metalliferous mining, as well as a B.Tech mining engineering degree from the University of Johannesburg.
Bernard has held several management appointments in both the gold and platinum industry. These include appointments as mine manager at Doornkop and St Helena Mines, and general manager at Masimong Mine and Kalgold open pit operations for Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (Harmony). Since May 2009, he has been with Anooraq Resources at their shallow underground Bokoni Platinum Mine. His expertise is specifically in narrow reef conventional as well as trackless mining. Recently, Bernard was involved in the mine planning and development of the new Brakfontein mine at Bokoni.
Commenting on the appointment of Mr Wessels, the CEO of Wits Gold, Philip Kotze said, "The appointment of Bernard adds additional mining expertise to the Wits Gold executive team. His experience of underground mining will be particularly advantageous as the recently announced Evander acquisition is bedded down, while his development experience will be invaluable in planning Wits Gold's flagship DBM Project in the southern Free State goldfield".
About the Company
Wits Gold holds 14 new order Prospecting Rights over 1 195km2 in the southern Free State, Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp goldfields. The Company is currently focused on fast-tracking two advanced projects, DBM and Bloemhoek, located next to each other in the southern Free State goldfield and adjacent to the Beatrix mine operated by Gold Fields, and the Joel mine operated by Harmony. On 22 February 2012 Wits Gold announced that the Department of Mineral Resources accepted the Company's application for a Mining Right over certain of its Prospecting Rights in the southern Free State goldfield.
On 30 January 2012, the Company jointly announced, with Pan African Resources, the acquisition of Evander Gold Mines Limited (Evander) from Harmony. The Evander operation is located in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa and is situated in a sub-basin of the main Wits Basin. In the 3 months ended 31 December 2011 Harmony, in their "Operating and financial results for the second quarter FY12 and six months ended 31 December 2011" published on 6 February 2012, reported to shareholders that the Evander operations produced 27,039 ounces of gold at a cash operating cost of $824/oz.
SOURCE Wits Gold
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