GREAT WESTERN MINERALS GROUP LTD.
TSX Venture Symbol: GWG CUSIP: 39141Y 10 3
OTCQX: GWMGF
GREAT WESTERN MINERALS GROUP APPOINTS HIGHLY EXPERIENCED
MINING EXECUTIVE TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
January 8, 2013 - Saskatoon, Canada: Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. ("GWMG" or the "Company", TSX:V – GWG) today announced it has appointed Ron Hochstein to GWMG’s Board of Directors. The appointment is effective immediately.
Mr. Hochstein is currently President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Denison Mines Corp. (“Denison”), positions he has held since 2009. For three years prior he had been Denison’s President and Chief Operating Officer. Within his CEO role, Mr. Hochstein successfully negotiated a $100 Million financing and restructured Denison following the sale of its U.S. assets. Previously, his senior management positions were with International Uranium Corporation, H.A. Simons Ltd. Mining Group, Noranda Inc. and North Canadian Oils Ltd. His responsibilities included project development, exploration activities, public company reporting, regulatory negotiations and mine operations management. In addition to his current duties with Denison, Mr. Hochstein is President of Uranium Participation Corporation, an investment holding company which invests substantially all of its assets in uranium.
Mr. Hochstein holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Science in Mineral Process Engineering from the University of Alberta.
His professional affiliations and certifications include membership in the Professional Engineers of Ontario, the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Society of Mining Engineers.
GWMG Interim President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Quinn said, “GWMG is pleased to have attracted another independent Board member with exceptionally strong qualifications, significant mining experience and a knowledge base that will be of great value to our Company. Ron Hochstein’s track record with putting mining projects into production in many parts of the world and his knowledge of global mining issues will assist GWMG in effectively delivering our projects.”
Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. is engaged in becoming an integrated rare earth producer. The Company currently produces specialty alloys which are used in the aerospace, automobile, computer and high-tech industries. Produced at the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries Less Common Metals Limited in Birkenhead, U.K. and Great Western Technologies Inc. in Troy, Michigan, these alloys contain iron, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements. As part of the Company’s vertical integration strategy, GWMG also holds 100% equity ownership in Rare Earth Extraction Co. Limited, which owns a 74% equity interest in the Steenkampskraal Mine in South Africa. In addition to an exploration program at Steenkampskraal, GWMG also holds interests in four active rare earth exploration and development properties in North America.
For further information, please contact Dwight Percy, Manager of Investor Relations at (306) 659-4516. Email inquiries should be made to info@gwmg.ca and the company website is located at www.gwmg.ca. Inquiries by direct mail should be addressed to Great Western Minerals Group Ltd., 219 Robin Crescent, Saskatoon, SK S7L 6M8.
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