TORONTO, Sept. 8 /CNW/ - Xtierra Inc. (TSXV - XAG) ("Xtierra"), is pleased to announce the filling of two key senior management positions.
Chief Operating Officer - Gerald J. Gauthier
Mr. Gauthier is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario and has over 37 years international experience in the mining industry building and operating open pit and underground mines in Canada, USA, Mexico, Central America and West Africa. Mr. Gauthier was previously Chief Operating Officer at Nevsun Resources Ltd. and previously Vice-President Operations at Glencairn Gold Corp. He is a graduate of Queen's University in Mining Engineering. He is currently a director of Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited, Conquest Resources Limited and Gold World Resources Ltd. Mr. Gauthier was formerly General Manager of the Page-Williams gold mine at Hemlo, Ontario and Senior Vice President North American Operations for Lac Minerals Ltd.
Manager of Operations (Mexico) - Luis De La Fuente
Sr. De La Fuente has 35 years experience in the mining industry with mine development and operation of open pit mines and processing facilities and has held senior administrative, planning and operations positions with Canadian, US and Mexican companies, including Compania Minera de Cananea, Minera Real de Angeles, Hecla Mining Co. and Santa Cruz Gold Inc. For the past eight years, Sr. De La Fuente has provided administrative and engineering consulting services to a number of Canadian and Mexican companies. He is a graduate engineer from the University of Guanajuato, and holds a diploma in Administration from the University of Aguascalientes. He was formerly President of the Mining Association of Mexico.
Existing Management in Mexico includes: ---------------------------------------
Manager Administration & Finance (Mexico) - Alejandro Alaniz
Mr. Alaniz is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac, Mexico and a Diploma in Industrial Chemistry from the Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico. He has 20 years experience in financial administration of Mexican public and private companies. Prior to 2005, Mr. Alaniz was Finance & Administrative Director of Industrias Nigua C. por A. based in the Dominican Republic. He has been responsible for the administration and financial control of the Orca group of companies (now Xtierra subsidiaries) in Mexico for the past three years.
Chief Geologist - Anthony C. Gallon
Dr. Anthony Gallon is a professional geologist with B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in various geological and geochemical disciplines from the Universities of Nottingham and Leeds. He is a Member of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (UK) and a Chartered Engineer. Tony has worked in the minerals industry for forty years with several companies including Roan Selection Trust, Anglo American Corporation, Robertson Research International and Oxus Gold. He has been Chief Geologist of Minera Orca S.A. de C.V. and other Mexican operating subsidiaries of Xtierra for the past three years and has overall responsibility for exploration drilling and resource and reserve development at Bilbao.
Comment -------
Commenting on the appointments, Mr. Terence N. McKillen, President & CEO said "We are pleased that Xtierra has been able to fill these senior appointments with very experienced engineers and managers whose skill sets will be complementary. Xtierra now has excellent management in place to ensure the optimum advancement of its two main development projects within the Central Mexican Silver Belt. Xtierra has commenced the initial stages of a feasibility study on the Bilbao Silver-Zinc-Lead-Copper deposit, Zacatecas which is scheduled for completion within the first quarter of 2009 as well as optimising an earlier bankable feasibility study on its Laguna silver-gold-mercury tailings retreatment project."
About Xtierra Inc. ------------------
Xtierra Inc. is a Toronto based exploration and development company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Xtierra's shares trade under the symbol "XAG". Xtierra has recently completed $8.8 million in private placement financings and has 49,862,003 shares issued and outstanding. Xtierra's objective is to become a mid-tier producer of silver and base metals through the development of its Bilbao and Laguna projects, both located in the Central Mexican Silver Belt in the State of Zacatecas, as well as through organic growth and M & A opportunities.
Cautionary Notes: ----------------- This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.