WA-based explorer Surefire Resources has appointed geologist and mineral economist Cain Fogarty as Chief Executive Officer.
Surefire says Fogarty brings to the role a varied skill set accumulated over a career spanning more than two decades in the mining industry across Australia, Asia and Africa, including exploration and resource growth.
His experience spans exploration, resource growth, feasibility studies and executive management.
Surefire Resources CEO, Cain Fogarty said: “There’s no better place to develop mines than right here in WA.”
“It’s exciting to have joined Surefire at this time. We have a busy work program ahead of us, in exploration and in advancing studies across our WA projects.”
Surefire’s new CEO has previously worked on the successful exploration and development of Equinox Mineral’s copper projects in Zambia through its takeover by multinational minerals heavyweight Barrick Gold, with CSA Global on the Caijiaying Zn-Au mine in China and with Barrick Gold in near mine reserve development at WA gold mines.
Most recently, he was General Manager of geology and business development at Wiluna Mining, where he successfully led substantial growth in the mineral resource and was responsible for regional business development activity.
Fogarty holds a bachelor of science, a masters degree in ore deposit geology and a masters in mineral economics. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Surefire Resources Managing Director Vladimir Nikolaenko said: “The Board and I are delighted with the appointment of Mr Fogarty at this pivotal time as we advance the company’s key vanadium projects at Victory Bore and Unaly Hill, Perenjori Iron Ore and our emerging Yidby gold discovery.”
The Yidby gold project, south west of Mount Magnet, is considered Surefire’s flagship.
Several gold deposits surround Yidby, including the 1.1-million-ounce Minjar project to the north-west, the one-million-ounce Kirklocka project 70km to the north-east and the 2.1-million-ounce Mount Gibson gold project 30km to the south.
Assay results are beginning to flow from a recent drilling campaign of 23 holes for 2754m with a high tenor of gold grades revealed. One 4m sample went to 10.4grams per tonne gold from 72m downhole.
Surefire also has the exciting potential of vanadium at its Victory Bore/Unaly Hill project, 48km south of Sandstone in WA’s Mid-West region.
This project comprises one of WA’s largest contained vanadium pentoxide resources, with an inferred mineral resource of 237 million tonnes grading 0.43 per cent vanadium pentoxide, 24.9 per cent iron and 5.9 per cent titanium oxide.
Vanadium pentoxide is used as a catalyst in the manufacture of dyes, printing fabrics and also among other things in ceramics and superconductive magnets.
Vanadium pentoxide flake currently fetches about US$7.30 per pound and Surefire Resources has an impressive 2.263 billion pounds at Victory Hill/Unaly Hill.
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By Matt Birney
