| Fri 15 Feb 2008, 8:25 | | FUM - First Uranium Corporation - Management Changes To Position First |
|
FUM
FIU
FUM - First Uranium Corporation - Management Changes To Position First
Uranium For Future Growth
First Uranium Corporation
(Continued under the laws of British Columbia, Canada)
(Registration number C0777384)
(South African registration number 2007/009016/10)
ISIN: CA33744R1029
Share code: FUM
NEWS RELEASE - February 14, 2008
MANAGEMENT CHANGES TO POSITION FIRST URANIUM FOR FUTURE GROWTH
Toronto, Ontario and Johannesburg, South Africa - (TSX:FIU, JSE:FUM)
(ISIN:CA33744R1029) First Uranium Corporation ("First Uranium" or "the Company")
today announced several management changes and new appointments that it believes
will best allocate the experience and strengths of its management team and
position the Company for future growth.
Jim Fisher, moves to Executive Vice President, Corporate Development in the
Company`s Toronto office from his current position as Chief Operating Officer
Syd Caddy, joins the Company from Simmer and Jack Mines Limited as Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for all of the Company`s
operating and exploration activities
Wouter de Vos joins the Company as General Manager of the Ezulwini Mine, an
underground uranium and gold mine
John Gould, joins the Company as Vice President Exploration and Business
Development responsible for all of the Company`s exploration, technical services
and growth projects and will report to Syd Caddy
Scot Sobey, VP Business Development will continue to focus on the Company`s
South African and global growth initiatives, working closely with Jim Fisher
Barry Smit, joins the Company as Consulting Mining Engineer and will focus on
the Company`s expansion project at the Ezulwini Mine
"It has always been part of First Uranium`s vision to grow production by
pursuing acquisition and joint venture opportunities," said Gordon Miller,
President and CEO of First Uranium. "While there is still plenty of opportunity
to grow the number and scope of our projects within southern Africa, some of the
world`s best mines with the lowest operational risks have been developed in the
Americas. This move puts Jim Fisher and all of his experience in the optimum
locale to find those kinds of projects for our shareholders."
Mr. Miller added, "We are fortunate to have quality individuals such as Syd
Caddy, Wouter de Vos, John Gould and Barry Smit join the Company and lend their
vast experience to our project development and future strategies."
In a separate development, Chopper Van der Bijl, age 61, has retired from his
position as General Manager, Ezulwini Mining Company. Of Mr. Van der Bijl,
Gordon Miller said, "I am greatly indebted to his contributions to the building
of the Ezulwini Mine as an operation of great substance. I am obviously
disappointed to lose someone of Chopper`s experience and abilities, but respect
his decision to leave First Uranium at this point in his life." Wouter de Vos,
will assume the role of General Manager of the Ezulwini Mine effective February
25, 2008.
About First Uranium Corporation
First Uranium is focused on the development of South African uranium and gold
mines with the goal of becoming a significant producer through the re-opening
and development of the Ezulwini underground mine, and the construction of the
Buffelsfontein tailings recovery facility. First Uranium also plans to grow
production by pursuing acquisition and joint venture opportunities.
First Uranium Corporation
1240-155 University Avenue, Toronto, ON Canada M5H 3B7
www.firsturanium.com
For further information, please contact:
Bob Tait, VP Investor Relations at 416 558-3858 or bob@firsturanium.com
This document may contain or refer to forward-looking information based on
current expectations. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant
risks and uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from expected results. These forward-looking statements are
made as of the date hereof and we assume no responsibility to update or revise
them to reflect new events or circumstances.
Sponsor: Investec Bank
First Uranium management affected by recent changes:
Jim Fisher serves as First Uranium`s Executive Vice President, Corporate
Development and Chief Operating Officer and as a director of the First Uranium
Board. Mr. Fisher has 28 years` experience in the Southern African mining
industry, including nine years on the Zambian copper belt and the rest in South
Africa. Since February 2006 Mr. Fisher held various senior positions within
First Uranium, including serving as the Company`s initial Chief Operating
Officer until February 2008 and prior to that as Chief Executive Officer of
FUSA. From September 2001 to February 2006, Mr. Fisher provided consulting
services on a number of mining and other projects, including metallurgical
consulting services to Simmer and Jack Mines Limited. From April 1999 to
September 2001, Mr. Fisher served as the Business Manager for the PDWA JV where
his duties encompassed strategy and organizational development, corporate and
public relations as well as the definition of and implementation of the
information technology and remuneration strategy. Mr. Fisher ran the Cooke
uranium plant from 1987 to 1989 as well as the Western Areas North Shaft (now
Ezulwini) from 1991 to 1994. Mr. Fisher is a Chartered Engineer, a fellow of The
Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, a member of the South African
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, a member and past President of the Mine
Metallurgical Managers Association of South Africa.
Syd Caddy serves as First Uranium`s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating
Officer. He has over 31 years` experience in the mining industry having managed
his first mine at the age of 25 when he was appointed mine manager of Union Tin
Mines. He was also instrumental in the start-up commissioning and running of
Black Mountain Minerals for seven years. This was followed by a career on some
of South Africa`s best-known gold mines including general manager of Kloof Gold
Mine where he oversaw the design and construction of the new Number 4 Shaft
complex. Mr. Caddy also managed West Driefontein Gold Mine between 1992 and
1995, before joining JCI Limited in 1996 as consulting engineer responsible for
management and control of HJ Joel Gold Mining Company, Western Areas,
Randfontein Estates and Prestea Gold Mining Company. He served as Executive New
Business for Simmer and Jack Mines Limited from October 2007 until March 2008.
A Registered Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa
and a Fellow of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the
Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, he is also Past President of the
Association of Mine Managers of South Africa.
Wouter de Vos serves as General Manager at First Uranium`s Ezulwini Mine. Mr.
de Vos brings 30 years of mining experience to this position. From March 2006
to February 2008, Mr. de Vos was the General Manager of the Buffelsfontein Gold
Mine owned and operated by Simmer and Jack Gold Mines. Previously he worked for
consulting engineers and project managers Read, Swatman and Voigt (Pty) Ltd as
Project Manager from 2005 to 2006 and as Construction Manger from 2002 to 2003.
Mr. de Vos has held positions of increasing responsibility at several mining
companies throughout his career including Messina Platinum Mines Limited
(S.P.C.) from 2003 to 2005, Placer Dome Western Areas Joint Venture from 1989 to
2001; Consolidated Modderfontein Mine Ltd from 1988 to 1989; and Durban
Roodepoort Deep Ltd from 1978 to 1988.
John Gould serves as First Uranium`s Vice President, Exploration and Business
Development. He has been involved in Witwatersrand-type and Bushveld-type
mining operations in South Africa with experience in all aspects of mining
including deep and shallow level gold mining operations (Venterspost, East
Driefontein, Randfontein Estates, Joel Gold Mine, ERPM, Grootvlei Gold Mine,
Harmony and Virginia Gold Mines) as well as experience in the platinum mines
(Rustenburg Platinum Mines - Amandelbult Section). Mr. Gould held the positions
of Mine Geologist through to Technical Services Manager (including geology, rock
mechanics, ventilation, survey, mining, mine planning and sampling), Mine
Manager, and Executive Member of local mining companies and until October 2007,
Managing Director for a developing junior. He has been involved with Gold Fields
of South Africa, Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company, Harmony Gold Mine
and finally Platinum Group Metals Limited. Until October 2007, John Gould headed
up the South African operations for Platinum Group Metals and was responsible
for the development, market position and technical performance of the company.
Mr. Gould has also played a leading role in the development and support of South
Africa`s Mineral Resources and Petroleum Development Act. He was invited to
accompany the Honorable Minister Sonjica on her world tour to the major
institutions throughout the USA, Canada, Europe and Britain.
Scot Sobey serves as First Uranium`s Vice President, Business Development. Mr.
Sobey`s background lies in management consulting and project management, having
spent 4 years with Gemini Consulting, followed by 2 years with PSP Icon. Mr.
Sobey has developed extensive expertise in large-scale turnaround and
transformation projects spanning the financial services, courier and freight,
telecommunications, electricity and mining industries. From October 2005, Mr.
Sobey jointly project managed (in conjunction with key leadership from Simmer
and Jack Mines Limited) the start up of the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine formerly
known as DRD Gold`s North West Operations. Most recently, Mr Sobey formed an
integral part of First Uranium`s Offering team.
Barry Smit serves as First Uranium`s Consulting Mining Engineer for the
Corporation`s Ezulwini Mine. He has 28 years of experience in the platinum, gold
and construction industries, where he was responsible for design, construction,
project management and operations. Mr. Smit is a mining engineer, with further
studies in project management as well as in environmental and business risk
management. He has led several technical forums for the mining industry at CSIR
Miningtek, developing technical solutions for the South African mining industry.
Date: 15/02/2008 08:25:01 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the
JSE Limited (`JSE`). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or
implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or
completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers,
employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct,
indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature,
howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on,
information disseminated through SENS.
