Canal+ Regulatory News (CAN)

14 May 2007 07:01

Central African Gold PLC14 May 2007 Central African Gold Plc / Ticker: CAN / Market: AIM / Sub-sector: Gold Mining 14th May 2007 Central African Gold Plc ("CAG" or "the Company") Strengthening of the Management Team CAG, the AIM traded gold mining and exploration company, is pleased to announceit has appointed the following members to its team: • Richard Dahl - Exploration Manager, Mali; • Simon Youds - Bibiani Mine Underground Project Manager; and • Dale Richards - Senior Operations Geologist The appointments are part of the Company's continuing strategy of assembling astrong management team with the relevant experience and expertise to advance theCompany's gold exploration and production portfolio in Ghana, Mali, Botswana andZimbabwe. Furthermore the new team members will support the Board's aggressivegrowth strategy of continuing to acquire a solid portfolio of projects, tocreate a leading mid-tier African gold mining company. Richard Dahl, appointed as the Exploration Manager in Mali, has over 25 yearsexperience as a geologist in the mineral exploration industry throughout Africa,the Middle East, Europe and North America. He has joined the Company toadminister our Malian exploration portfolio. Richard will be based in Bamako tosupport the now operational Medinandi project and to help evaluate potential newproperties ahead of the 2008 field season. Previously Mr. Dahl was an Associated Consulting Geologist with GAF-AG, aprivate international geo-information technology company based in Germany withinstitutional mineral resource projects worldwide. Mr. Dahl has experience inresource project management in Mauritania, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea.Richard has gained a sound understanding of the mining industry having worked inboth consultative and managerial roles within the geoscientific mineralexploration arena. He worked as a Consulting Geologist undertakinggeoscientific, technical advisory and project management roles for clients suchas North American Palladium Ltd, Ditem Exploration Inc and Arca Exploration Inc.Mr. Dahl was also Resident Manager for Cluff Mining Burkina SARL of Cluff MiningLtd, Santa Fe Mining Inc. and Newmont Mining USA, in Burkina Faso. He was incharge of the evaluation and acquisition, programming, planning and execution ofexploration work on company licences. Furthermore Richard Dahl acted as aTechnical Advisor for the United Nations, where he was based in Niger, WestAfrica designing, planning and installing a computerised geological and mininginformation centre for mining exploration initiatives. Simon Youds has been appointed as the Bibiani Mine Underground Project Manager,CAG's flagship project in Ghana, to help oversee the mine's operations andassist with commissioning the phased expansion of its operations and productionlevels. Simon specialises in underground mining engineering and management andhas over 12 years experience in the area. He started his professional career asa mining engineer, having graduated with a Batchelor of Engineering from theUniversity of New South Wales, Australia and subsequently held a number ofpositions in engineering roles for Australian based mining companies, namelyManaging Contractor for Central Norseman Gold Corp Ltd; Drill and Blast ManagerEngineer for Olympic Dam Operations; and a Senior Operations Engineer for WMCLeinster Nickel Operations. More recently Mr. Youds undertook various mining managerial roles where he wasin charge of the development and construction of mines. He was a Mining Managerfor an underground gold project in the Highlands of Kainantu in Papua NewGuinea, where he has worked since 2005. Previously he held positions in Tanzaniawith Barrick Gold Corporation and Afrika Mashariki Gold Mines Ltd. Dale Richards has been appointed by CAG as Senior Operations Geologist. Mr.Richards has gained over ten years experience in the mining industry working inthe operational geology field in consultative roles primarily in western,central and southern Africa. His work to date has had a strong emphasis on orebody modelling, mineral resource and mineral reserve estimation and strategicplanning. Until recently he was an Advisor for Venmyn Rand Pty Ltd a SouthAfrican based, independent mining and minerals management consultancy, where hecompiled technical and geological information and compiled techno-economicreports. Dale has had extensive experience in both Ghana and South Africa having workedin senior geologist positions for a number of large mining houses. He has workedfor Ghana Manganese Company in a consultative role, reviewing historicalexploration data for brown-field gold exploration projects. Additionally Mr.Richards has worked closely with Gold Fields, a world class precious metalproducer, on a number of its mining projects in both Ghana and South Africa. Hewas employed to work as a senior geologist on the Tarkwa gold mine in Ghanaoverseeing geological modelling, geo-statistical evaluation and implementing agrade control system for its operations. He was also contracted by Gold Fieldsto oversee the operational geology function of the East Driefontein gold mineand the Kloof gold mine, both based in South Africa near Johannesburg. Mr.Richard's applied ground experience will supplement CAG's Bibiani operations inGhana and help support the Company's growing operational base in Zimbabwe. Central African Gold's CEO Mr Greg Hunter said: "We are very pleased to welcomesuch experienced personnel to the Company and feel they are ideally suited toadvance our aggressive growth objectives. We have an already strong portfolio ofprojects; both producing and exploration focussed in Ghana, Mali, Zimbabwe andBotswana, and are currently reviewing further prospects in the immediate area. Ibelieve the new additions to the management team have added to the strong skillsbase of the Company and will help support the Board in delivering its vision ofCAG becoming a mid-tier African mining house." * * ENDS * * For further information please contact or visit www.centralafricangold.com orcontact: Greg Hunter Central African Gold Plc Tel: +27 (0)82 882 4222 In London:Hugo de Salis St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7242 4477Felicity Edwards St Brides Media & Finance Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 7242 4477Simon Raggett Strand Partners Limited Tel: +44 (0)20 7409 3494Braden Saunders Strand Partners Limited Tel: +44 (0)20 7409 3494 In South Africa:Nicole Broome Central African Gold Tel +27 11 676 2500 Mobile +27 83 601 1702 Charmane Russell Russell and Associates Tel: + 27 11 880 3924(Tel) Mobile + 27 82 372 5816 Notes to Editors: Central African Gold Plc, admitted to AIM in April 2004, was established toacquire gold assets with a geographical focus on Africa. The Company hasestablished a sound portfolio with projects in Ghana, Mali and Botswana. It hasa highly experienced management team, which has worked together for four yearsmanaging six underground greenstone gold mining operations and buildingexploration portfolios. CAG's portfolio includes the producing Bibiani gold mine and prospectinglicences in Ghana, which it acquired from AngloGold Ashanti Ltd, two jointventures in Mali covering 23 prospective permits and licences in Botswanacovering the extension of the Kraaipan greenstone belt from South Africa. Thedirectors are evaluating additional prospects in Africa to establish CAG as aleading mid-tier African gold producer with world class exploration andproduction assets. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange