Stellar Diamonds Regulatory News (STEL)

13 Feb 2007 13:43

West African Diamonds PLC13 February 2007 Simon Riekert to join West African Diamonds as Chief Operating Officer O Simon has 20 years diamond experience across all stages of mining and major African centres O Primary responsibilities to include: o Complete construction and start operations of the Plant 11 diamond/gold mining project in Koidu o Expand the WAD's diamond and gold production asset portfolio The board of West African Diamonds, the AIM listed diamond explorer anddeveloper (AIM:WAD) is delighted to announce the appointment of Simon Riekert asChief Operating Officer. Simon, who will be based in Koidu, Sierra Leone, willbe responsible for bringing into production WAD's late stage diamond projects inGuinea and Sierra Leone. His initial priorities are to oversee the construction and operation of thePlant 11 diamond/gold mining project in Koidu (Q3 2007), as well as bring intoproduction WAD's extensive portfolio of alluvial diamond resources through 2007.Simon will also be working closely with the board and management of WAD toexpand the company's diamond and gold production asset portfolio. Simon Riekert is a qualified metallurgist and manager with over 20 years diamondmining experience across advanced exploration, bulk sampling, trial andfull-scale mining. Simon is well versed in directing feasibility studies,operations management and project start-up's in remote locations. Simon hasworked in many of Africa's major diamond producing countries: South Africa,Angola, DRC and Sierra Leone. He spent six years in technical management at DeBeers' South African flagship Venetia Mine. His most recent assignment was the establishment of two alluvial diamond andgold operations in Sierra Leone. John Teeling, Chairman commented: "We are moving rapidly toward diamond and gold production in Sierra Leone. Thisis a very strong appointment which completes the management team to take ourprojects to production. We have good local experienced managers who will benefitfrom the skills and experience which Simon brings with him. His hands onexperience in West African will be used to bring our Plant 11 diamond/gold mineon stream in 2007. We hope that 2007 will prove the demerger strategy, by unlocking the value ofand further expanding our West African portfolio. West African Diamonds isdesigned to be a production, development and exploration diamond and gold miningoperation. Simon's task will be to turn this strategy into a reality on theground". Enquiries: West African Diamonds John Teeling, Chairman +353 1 833 2833 James Campbell, Deputy Chairman +27 88 457 3724 Corporate Synergy Plc John Wakefield +44 (0) 117 933 0020 College Hill Paddy Blewer +44 (0) 20 7457 2020 Nick Elwes +44 (0) 20 7457 2020 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange