ASX-listed MetalsTech has announced that it has appointed key technical directors and industry executives Stuart Hutchin and Michael McKeown to the board of directors, while Clifford Fitzhenry has resigned from the board.

The company explains that Fitzhenry has resigned to focus on other corporate and project opportunities, including as CEO of mineral exploration and development company Tusker Minerals.

“The company would like to thank Mr Fitzhenry for his contribution to the technical success of the Sturec project over the past 15 months,” the company says in a media release.

Meanwhile, McKeown is a geologist and mining engineer with a range of expertise in mining geology, exploration geology and mining engineering since entering the industry in 1970.

His experience includes ore reserve and mineral resource estimation and reporting, due diligence studies, mining and geological audits, project management, mine budgeting, mine scheduling, and underground and opencut mine design.

McKeown has worked on gold, tin, tungsten, base metal, nickel, rare earth, uranium, magnetite, limestone and dolomite deposits.

MetalsTech points out that his special skills include the interpretation of structurally complex geology, mineral resource estimation and the business analysis of existing and proposed mining operations.

Additionally, Hutchin has over 24 years of experience in the Australian and international mining industry.

MetalsTech notes that he has worked in a range of gold, base metal, rare earth, bauxite, iron-ore, lithium and nickel laterite deposits, with experience ranging from grassroots exploration through to mine geology and resource estimation in both underground and surface mining operations.

Hutchin has also had extensive experience with project assessment, geological audits, project valuations (VALMIN) and due diligence studies on both exploration and mining projects.

MetalsTech says Hutchin is also a proficient user of Surpac, Vulcan and Micromine software packages and is also a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists.

It adds that Hutchin is deemed suitable to act in the capacity as a competent person and qualified person for Joint Ore Reserves Committee (Jorc) 2012, and National Instrument 43-101 (NI43-101) resource estimate sign-off covering multiple commodities and deposit styles.

Hutchin’s areas of expertise include experience in multiple commodities/minerals in exploration, pre- development and operational settings; design and supervision of exploration programs; openpit and underground production roles and management of site teams; and Jorc and NI43-101 resource estimation including geostatistical analysis.

Hutchin also has experience in mine reconciliation processes; assay laboratory auditing and review; due diligence reviews; mentoring and training of geological staff; independent experts reports and VALMIN valuations.

“The appointment of Stuart and Michael is a significant step forward for the company as we continue to leverage our technical insight at the Sturec [gold] project, [in Slovakia], and progress with the completion of the prefeasibility study.

“Having access to highly experienced technical directors will ensure that Sturec continues to advance and develop towards mining.

“Our team in Slovakia is busy preparing the Sturec site for an expanded exploration program to support an increase in the mineable resources as well as continue the permitting process for the project.

“We look forward to their valuable input and knowledge as we progress our Sturec gold project,” says executive director Gino D’Anna.