A new management team at the Plutonic Gold Operations in Western Australia is starting to deliver improved results for Catalyst Metals Ltd with a focus on improving the basic operating key performance indicators such as material moved and development and mill throughput.
Catalyst expects the renewed focus to increase gold production and reduce costs.
The new team, which includes David Baumgartel as Plutonic general manager, Mick Garbellini as group operations manager and Mark Day as mining manager, has been joined by Cathy Barclay as group manager, mine planning and technical services.
Just last week it was reported that Catalyst had been given the green light to begin early works, including portal construction and decline development, at Trident gold deposit within the Plutonic Gold Belt.
Read more: Catalyst Metals has green light for early work at Trident gold deposit
The new management team has been instrumental in making this happen.
“The calibre of this team is a testament to the inherent quality and potential of the Plutonic operations, and those people that work there," said Catalyst’s managing director and CEO James Champion de Crespigny. "These names will be familiar to many in the industry. They bring decades of experience.
"All operations have challenges and a team of this calibre knows how to manage and handle such challenges.
“The team has been working together since early July. The changes being implemented are bearing results.
"All workforces want to be proud of their results and with this team, we believe we have the leadership required to make Plutonic a success.”
Who’s who in the Plutonic zoo?
The change in personnel has now been in place for several months and operations are now in sure hands.
Baumgartel brings to Catalyst more than 20 years of commercial and operational experience in open pit and underground mines.
As general manager, he has overseen multiple operations including for Darlot UG in Western Australia, Jabal Sayid UG Mine in Saudi Arabia, Lumwana in Zambia, Runruno in the Philippines and most recently, Gascoyne Dalgaranga. He was also formerly the global VP supply chain and maintenance for Barrick Gold Ltd.
Garbellini’s purview as group operations manager covers the Plutonic Gold Belt. He has 32 years of mining experience within Australia and internationally and has worked throughout the WA Goldfields.
For the past 10 years, he has been the VP and senior mine manager of Freeport Grasberg Block Cave Mine in Indonesia managing 20,000 employees across multiple underground mines running simultaneously.
Day has 30 years of underground mining operations experience in Western Australia which ranges from Frontline Jumbo through to project managing operations of 350 employees.
He has built strong teams in previous roles by engaging each individual to realise their full potential within the organisation and has a proven ability to rapidly turn around underground operations, greatly increasing their safety and overall performance.
Catalyst has also welcomed experienced geology consultant Ted Coupland as a senior advisor to the board.
Coupland has more than 30 years of experience in the mining, exploration and resource finance industry and holds qualifications in geology, geostatistics, mineral economics and finance.
His comprehensive technical career in the resources sector covering exploration, mine geology, resource estimation, risk analysis, resource consulting and business management could prove invaluable to Catalyst as it moves its Plutonic operations forward.
Finally, Barclay will also play a key role in Catalyst’s growth strategy and supporting the new transition team.
She has more than 25 years in the mining industry, across a range of operational, technical, consulting, management and corporate roles and is experienced in underground and open-pit operations and greenfield exploration across a number of countries.
About Catalyst
Catalyst controls three highly prospective gold belts, including the 100% owned, 40-kilometre-long Plutonic Gold Belt, which hosts the Plutonic gold mine and neighbouring underexplored, high-grade resources.
It also owns and operates the high-grade Henty Gold Mine in Tasmania which lies within the 25-kilometre Henty gold belt. Production to date is 1.4 million ounces at 8.9 g/t.
Catalyst also controls over 75 kilometres of strike length immediately north of the +22-million-ounce Bendigo goldfield and home to high-grade, greenfield resources at Four Eagles.