Empire Metals Limited / AIM: EEE / Sector: Natural Resources

17 May 2021

EMPIRE METALS LIMITED

Appointment of Managing Director

Empire Metals Limited ('Empire' or the 'Company'), the AIM-quoted exploration and resource development company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Shaun Bunn to the Board of the Company as Managing Director effective from 1 June 2021.  Mr. Bunn is a metallurgist based in Perth, Western Australia, with over 35 years' experience in exploration, mining, processing and project development, including over 25 years' experience in the gold mining sector.  He has managed mining projects through all stages of development, from grass roots exploration, feasibility studies, financing, construction, commissioning and operations.

Mr. Bunn has built a successful track record managing mining projects across a wide range of commodities.  For the past six years he has held the position of Senior VP Projects for Hummingbird Resources plc, a London-based, West African-focused gold producer and explorer with three core gold projects, the Yanfolila Gold Mine in Mali, the Dugbe Gold Project in Liberia, and the recently acquired Kouroussa Gold Project in Guinea.  Mr. Bunn joined Hummingbird in 2015, initially to complete the feasibility study and financing of the Yanfolila Mine and was then overall Project Manager for Yanfolila's successful mine development, plant construction, commissioning and ramp up to commercial operations. 

Prior to joining Hummingbird, Mr. Bunn was employed as the Chief Operating Officer at Cominco Resources (UK) Ltd where he was responsible for the feasibility study for the Hinda Phosphate Project. Previously he was the Chief Operating Officer at Greenland Minerals and Energy Pty Ltd where he led development of the Kvanefjeld Uranium-REE Project. He has experience as a Company Director, most recently as the Operations Director of Precious Metals Australia Pty Ltd, and prior to that he was the Technical Director of GMA Resources plc, a gold mining company operating in North Africa.  

Earlier in his career, Mr. Bunn worked at North Kalgoorlie Mines (NKM) as Mill Superintendent for its Mt Percy Gold Mine and the Croesus gold plant.  In 1989 he joined Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (now Northern Star) where he held several positions, including Projects Superintendent and Plant Superintendent. Mr. Bunn's duties included responsibility for the mill circuit rationalisation and optimisation work across all of the processing operations, including the Fimiston, the Oroya and the Croesus Mills and the Gidji roaster.  Other projects supervised by Mr. Bunn during his time at KCGM included the pre-feasibility studies into the Phase lll and lV expansion of the Fimiston Mill, the Mt Charlotte milling circuit feasibility study, and the conversion of the Croesus Mill oxide circuit into a sulphide circuit.  He was also Project Manager for Taipan Resources' Ashburton Gold Project.  This high grade, underground mining operation and gold processing plant was capable of producing in excess of 100,000 oz of gold per annum, at very low operating costs. 

Neil O'Brien, Chairman, said: "We are delighted to welcome Shaun to the Empire Board as our new Managing Director and we are confident that he will be a highly effective and valuable member of our leadership team.  Shaun's operations and projects experience, particularly in the gold sector, further strengthen the team's project evaluation and execution credentials.  Moreover, Shaun's origins and networks in the Western Australian mining sector will further enhance Empire's ability to find and develop new gold-focussed opportunities as we build on the platform of the Eclipse Gold Project to become a successful gold mining company in Western Australia."

Further information in relation to Shaun Ronald Bunn is provided below.

The information required by Schedule 2 Paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies in relation to the appointment of Shaun Ronald Bunn (aged 60) as Managing Director is as follows:

Mr. Bunn has no shares or options in the Company.

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.

**ENDS**

For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk  or contact:

About Empire Metals Limited

Empire Metals' primary focus is on the Eclipse Gold Project in Western Australia which produced 954 tonnes @ 24.6 g/t Au for 754.25 oz Au from the Eclipse shaft which operated up to 1910.  Empire owns 75% of Eclipse with a right to acquire a further 25%.

The Company also has a 50% joint venture in Georgia which covers an area of over 860 sq km and has a 30-year mining licence.  The joint venture covers a variety of targets and projects ranging from greenfield exploration / target definition phase through intermediate target-testing phases to more advanced projects including Kvemo Bolnisi East which is due to advance to Feasibility Study.

The Board continues to evaluate opportunities through which to realise the value of its wider portfolio and reviews further assets which meet the Company's investment criteria.