Witwatersrand Consolidated Gold Resources Limited
('Wits Gold' or the 'Company')
Incorporated in the Republic of South
Africa
(Registration Number 2002/031365/06)
JSE Share Code: WGR ISIN: ZAE000079703
TSX Share Code: WGR CUSIP Number: S98297104
JOHANNESBURG,
March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -
Witwatersrand Consolidated Gold Resources or "Wits Gold"
(JSE&TSX: WGR; ADR: WIWTY) is pleased to announce the
appointment of Bernard Wessels as
chief operating officer, effective 1 March
2012.
Bernard is a mining engineer with 14 years'
experience in the South African mining industry. He holds a Diploma
and Higher Diploma in metalliferous mining, as well as a B.Tech
mining engineering degree from the University of Johannesburg.
Bernard has held several management appointments
in both the gold and platinum industry. These include appointments
as mine manager at Doornkop and St Helena Mines, and general
manager at Masimong Mine and Kalgold open pit operations for
Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (Harmony). Since May 2009, he has been with Anooraq Resources at
their shallow underground Bokoni Platinum Mine. His expertise is
specifically in narrow reef conventional as well as trackless
mining. Recently, Bernard was involved in the mine planning and
development of the new Brakfontein mine at Bokoni.
Commenting on the appointment of Mr Wessels, the
CEO of Wits Gold, Philip Kotze said,
"The appointment of Bernard adds additional mining expertise to the
Wits Gold executive team. His experience of underground mining will
be particularly advantageous as the recently announced Evander
acquisition is bedded down, while his development experience will
be invaluable in planning Wits Gold's flagship DBM Project in the
southern Free State goldfield".
About the Company
Wits Gold holds 14 new order Prospecting Rights over 1
195km2 in the southern Free State, Potchefstroom and
Klerksdorp goldfields. The Company is currently focused on
fast-tracking two advanced projects, DBM and Bloemhoek, located
next to each other in the southern Free State goldfield and
adjacent to the Beatrix mine operated by Gold Fields, and the Joel
mine operated by Harmony. On 22 February
2012 Wits Gold announced that the Department of Mineral
Resources accepted the Company's application for a Mining Right
over certain of its Prospecting Rights in the southern Free State
goldfield.
On 30 January
2012, the Company jointly announced, with Pan African
Resources, the acquisition of Evander Gold Mines Limited (Evander)
from Harmony. The Evander operation is located in the Mpumalanga
Province of South Africa and is
situated in a sub-basin of the main Wits Basin. In the 3 months
ended 31 December 2011 Harmony, in
their "Operating and financial results for the second quarter FY12
and six months ended 31 December
2011" published on 6 February
2012, reported to shareholders that the Evander operations
produced 27,039 ounces of gold at a cash operating cost of
$824/oz.
SOURCE Wits Gold