Last checked at 4 Dec 2008 07:00
Bezant Resources Plc
("Bezant" or the "Company")
04 December 2008
Directorate Changes and Change of Broker
Bezant (AIM: BZT), the AIM listed gold and copper exploration and development company operating in the Philippines and Tanzania, today announces the appointment of Dr. Evan Kirby as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with immediate effect. He succeeds Mark Burchnall, who is stepping down from the Board with immediate effect to concentrate on his other work commitments.
The Company would also like to announce the appointment of Matrix Corporate Capital LLP as its sole Broker with immediate effect. Strand Partners Limited continues to act as Nominated Adviser to the Company.
Dr. Kirby is a metallurgist with over 30 years' of international experience throughout the metals and mining sector. During the period from 1975 until 1992, Dr. Kirby held senior management positions with Impala Platinum, Rand Mines and Rustenburg Platinum Mines in South Africa, prior to emigrating to Australia and commencing employment with Minproc Engineers in 1992 and then subsequently joining the Bechtel Corporation. In 2002, he founded his own consulting business, Metallurgical Management Services, and has since worked as a Director for a number of mining companies, as well as completing a wide range of technical consulting assignments in Australia, the USA, Canada, China and South Africa. In this previous role as consultant, Dr. Kirby has already gained considerable experience of Bezant's operations whilst coordinating the metallurgical studies and associated testing in relation to the Company's Mankayan Project in the Philippines.
Dr. Evan Kirby, aged 57, currently holds directorships in the following companies:
Dwyka Resources Limited
Great Australian Resources Limited
China Gold Mines plc
Global Resources Ventures Limited
Metallurgical Management Services Pty Limited
In the last five years he has been a Director of the following companies:
Washington Resources Limited
Sylvania Resources Limited
Wedgetail Exploration N.L.
There is no other information that is required to be disclosed under paragraph (g) of Schedule Two of the AIM Rules of the London Stock Exchange.
Gerry Nealon, Executive Chairman, commented:
"I am delighted to welcome Evan as a Non-Executive Director of Bezant. He has a wealth of experience in the mining industry and will be an obvious asset to the Company, as we move towards the further development of our Mankayan Project and completion of our Feasibility Studies. This technical strengthening of the Board and the additional support of Matrix Corporate Capital, in particular, should provide further focus upon one of our main objectives in verifying the significance of our flagship project to the Market, as a world class deposit.
The Board would like to thank Mark for all of his contributions to the Company over the years and wish him well for the future."
For further information, please contact:
Gerry Nealon
Executive Chairman, Bezant Resources Plc
Tel: +61 41 754 1873
Bernard Olivier
Executive Director, Bezant Resources Plc
Tel: +61 40 894 8182
James Harris / Matthew Chandler
Strand Partners Limited
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7409 3494
Alastair Stratton / Brad George
Matrix Corporate Capital LLP
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3206 7000
Laurence Read / Beth Harris
Threadneedle Communications (UK)
Email: Laurence.Read@threadneedlepr.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7653 9850
or visit
Notes for editors:
The Mineral and Production Sharing Agreement covers a total of 534 hectares in the Guinaoang area of the Philippines (the "Mankayan Project"). This is located in the Mankayan-Lepanto mining district, an area of porphyry copper belts in the Philippines and is similar to several deposits that have already been developed, such as the St Thomas deposit near Baguio City. The site is adjacent to the copper/gold mine owned and run by Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company. The Mankayan-Lepanto area has been mined for centuries and is readily accessible by both road and air. The Mankayan deposit was discovered in the early 1970s and since then has been extensively drilled, with four historical programmes being completed covering more than 45,000 metres of diamond drilling over 48 holes - being the subject of the Company's current Inferred Resource estimate.