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Rubicon Minerals has appointed a new vice president of operations and hired a new director of investor relations. “Putting in place a team that can take us to the next level is one of my key priorities,” said Michael Lalonde, Rubicion president and CEO, in a Jan. 7 statement.
Dan Labine is the new operations boss, effective Jan. 21 and Allan Candelario will handle investor relations. Labine has more than 35 years of engineering, mine operation, and project management experience, most recently as Goldcorp’s senior project manager in charge of the construction and development of the Cochenour project in Red Lake.
Rubicon is constructing a gold mine in the Red Lake district. Its Phoenix Gold project is slated for a 2014 startup. Labine supervised the construction of a five-kilometre underground haulage drift between the Cochenour project and its Red Lake mine infrastructure.
Labine previously worked in management for Inco, AMEC Earth and Environmental Ltd. and was a senior project engineer for Nordpro Mine and Project Management Services.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in mining from Laurentian University and is a professional engineer.
At Phoenix Gold, northeast of the town of Red Lake, Rubicon is deepening a shaft on a past-producing mine and constructing a mill for a mine that produce 180,000 ounces of gold a year over its 12-year life.
The company is also embroiled in a lawsuit with the nearby Wabauskang First Nation related to a government-approved mine closure plan and the province’s failure to adequately consult with the Aboriginal community.
Labine replaces Claude Bouchard, who has left Rubicon to pursue other interests. “I would like to thank Claude for his hard work and dedication over the past several years. He is largely responsible for bringing the Phoenix Project to its current stage of development,” said Lalonde.
Candelario brings several years of investor relations and capital markets experience. Prior to joining Rubicon, He worked at Alamos Gold, TD Securities and at a non-bank Canadian investment dealer. He replaces Bill Cavalluzzo, who has decided to retire effective immediately.