18 October 2022
ASX / Media Announcement, 18 October 2022
Canada’s first rare earths producer Vital Metals Limited (ASX: VML l OTCQB: VTMXF) (“Vital”, “Vital Metals” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of project management professional Eben Visser as its Chief Operations Officer (“COO”), effective 11 November 2022.
Mr Visser brings more than 15 years of dynamic engineering and project leadership to the role and has extensive experience through the project development, construction, and operational readiness in the mining and metals industry.
Most recently, Mr Visser was Director, Projects at Treasury Metals Inc responsible for the Goliath Gold Complex Project in North-West Ontario. Prior to Treasury Metals, he was a Project Manager at DRA Global where he was responsible for delivering a number of feasibility studies and projects across Africa, India, Peru, and the USA.
Mr Visser started his career as a graduate engineer with Anglo Platinum in South Africa before transitioning to capital projects. He is a registered Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds an Advanced Project Management Diploma and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
At Vital, Mr Visser will oversee the ramp up of production at its Saskatoon rare earths processing facility, where Vital is producing rare earth carbonate from material mined at the Nechalacho mine in Northwest Territories, Canada. Vital plans to produce commercial quantities of rare earths from Nechalacho. In addition, Mr Visser will oversee the development of the Tardiff Zone of the Nechalacho Project.
Vital is also progressing plans to develop the Wigu Hill rare earth deposit in Tanzania, where it continues discussions for a Mining Licence.
Vital Metals Chairman Evan Cranston welcomed Mr Visser to the role.
“We are very excited to have Eben join the Vital Metals team. As a dynamic, new breed of mining executive, Eben brings demonstrated project development experience and a desire to lead sustainable mining projects that align with our goals as Canada’s first rare earths producer. He will be a valuable asset to Vital Metals being able to oversee all aspects of our operations in country, and we look forward to Eben playing a critical role in the development of our Nechalacho and Saskatoon Operations in Canada as well as our Wigu Hill Project in Tanzania.”
Mr Visser is based in Canada which assists with managing contractors to the projects and provides good accessibility to the Company’s Canadian assets negating the need for travel.
Mr Tony Hadley remains with Vital Metals as Head of Technical. Mr Hadley is regarded as one of the world’s leading experts in rare earth processing outside of China. He has a broad technical knowledge in mineral processing covering comminution, flotation, cracking, leaching and neutralisation of rare earth concentrates, waste water and waste gas treatment, solvent extraction, pressure oxidation, albion oxidation, roasting, cyanide destruction, filtration, drying, gravity and magnetic separation. Mr Visser’s appointment at COO allows Mr Hadley to concentrate on the delivery and commissioning of the Saskatoon refinery as it nears completion.