TORONTO --(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Aldridge Minerals Inc. (TSX-V:AGM) ("Aldridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Jaymes Dircks as Aldridge's Engineering, Procurement and Construction ("EPC") Director, effective immediately. Mr. Dircks will be responsible for leading the EPC activities for the Company's Yenipazar Project in central Turkey .
Mr. Dircks brings 26 years of experience in varying roles of successful EPC delivery for heavy industry minerals projects worldwide that finished on budget and schedule. Since 2006, Mr. Dircks has managed Construction to Commissioning in Turkey and Central Asia . Most recently Mr. Dircks served as Construction Manager - Sulphide Area for the Aktogay Copper Project in Kazakhstan . Leading the Owner's Team during the construction phase, Jaymes was responsible for developing the execution and contract strategy, issuing RFP as well as bid evaluations, contractor selection, overall construction execution management, and establishing all onsite quality and safety compliance requirements.
From September 2013 to May 2014 , Mr. Dircks served as Project Manager for Promer Engineering ("Promer") in Turkey , which was lead Engineer for the Company's Yenipazar Optimization Study that was announced in April 2014 . Through Jaymes' leadership, the Optimization Study results significantly reduced pre-production capital costs while maintaining mining and process plant throughput and improving the Project financial metrics. Mr. Dircks played a critical role in ensuring Turkey's positive differentiators were incorporated into the Optimization Study, specifically Turkey's mature and highly qualified construction and manufacturing industries, its contract mining capacity and capability, and its human capital. Accordingly, Mr. Dircks is intimately familiar with the Yenipazar Project and Turkey .
Additionally, Mr. Dircks' experience in Turkey includes working for Eldorado Gold Corporation at both the Kişladağ and Efemçukuru mines where he was responsible for project and construction management and at other international companies where he gained experience in Turkey , Mexico , and Yukon, Canada .
Han Ilhan , President & CEO, commented: "During the past six months, we have gone through a rigorous process of identifying, evaluating and selecting the EPC Director for the Yenipazar Project . This is one of the key leadership positions within our organization as we prepare ourselves for construction in 2015. I am delighted to welcome Jaymes to Aldridge's management team to fill this important position. He brings not only the right technical capabilities to the Project but also practical experience and a dedication to safety and environmental stewardship. Jaymes has a reputation for being a solutions oriented professional committed to designing and building projects that meet the highest industry standards. I am confident that Jaymes will continue to be a great asset to Aldridge as the Company moves towards construction and ultimately production at Yenipazar."
Mr. Dircks' immediate focus will be the successful completion of the Company's ongoing Value Engineering exercise later in the first quarter. Thereafter, Mr. Dircks will oversee Basic and Detailed Engineering and construction execution. Key areas of responsibility will also include environment and safety management, quality control (QA/QC), procurement, construction management, pre-commissioning, commissioning support, and ensuring operational readiness. Mr. Dircks will be full-time in Turkey at the Company's Ankara and Project offices.
About Aldridge
Aldridge is a development stage mining company focused on its wholly owned Yenipazar polymetallic VMS Project (Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn) in Turkey (the "Project"), a country that is committed to developing its natural resources. Aldridge completed the Yenipazar Optimization Study and filed the related NI 43-101 compliant technical report in May 2014 , which updated the original May 2013 Feasibility Study. The Company is currently advancing the Project on key aspects including engineering, land acquisition and project financing.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, including, but are not limited to the ability to accomplish remaining milestones, land acquisitions, securing project financing and commencing construction in 2015, advancing the Yenipazar Project to production, economic performance, future plans and objectives of the Company.
Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors including meeting conditions for advances under the Loan and the other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2013 and in other continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com . Any number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results.
Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions in connection with the continuance of Aldridge and its subsidiaries as a going concern, general economic and market conditions, mineral prices, the accuracy of mineral resource estimates. Although Aldridge believes that the assumptions and factors used in making the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Aldridge disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Source: Aldridge Minerals Inc.