Montero Mining appoints country manager for Tanzania

Junior mineral explorer Montero Mining (CVE:MON) said on Thursday that it has hired mining engineer Grant Pierce as country manager for the company’s operations in Tanzania, South Africa.
Pierce, who will be responsible for all in-country business to progress the Wigu Hill rare earth element project, holds over 20 years of experience in open-pit and underground mining.
Pierce holds a bachelor of engineering degree from the Ballarat College of Advanced Education and a diploma of engineering in mining from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.
In the course of his career, he has worked in Africa in roles with big mining and exploration companies such as operations manager for Resolute Mining (ASX:RSG) and country manager for Africo Resources (TSE:ARL) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others.
In a statement, Montero’s chief executive, Tony Harwood, said: “Grant has the expertise to greatly assist Montero in realizing our target to fast track our Wigu Hill rare earth element deposit to the mining and production stage.”
“Mr. Pierce has a proven track record in managing both corporate business and mining operations with exposure to both operational and construction environments with a keen sensitivity to African cultures and customs.”
Montero Mining is mainly focused on rare earth elements, phosphates and uranium in Tanzania, South Africa and Quebec, Canada, respectively.
Its flagship Wigu Hill rare earth element project in Tanzania is a high-grade, undeveloped light rare earth deposit, which hosts NI 43-101 compliant inferred resources of 3.3 million tonnes, on only a fraction of the deposit.