VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equinox Gold Corp. (TSX-V: EQX, OTC: EQXFF) (“Equinox Gold” or the “Company”) announces today that Mr. David Laing is leaving his position as Chief Operating Officer (“COO”), effective immediately. With the Company’s recent acquisition of the Mesquite Gold Mine and construction at its Aurizona Gold Mine nearing completion, the Company will be a multi-asset gold producer and Mr. Laing has chosen to retire to pursue other interests. Mr. Laing will remain in an advisory capacity to Equinox Gold’s senior management team.
“It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with David over the last five years at Equinox Gold, True Gold and Endeavour Mining,” said Christian Milau, Chief Executive Officer of Equinox Gold. “David’s ideas and vision for growth and his years of experience have been instrumental in growing the Company, and his respect and consideration for others has helped shape the culture of Equinox Gold. On behalf of Equinox Gold’s Board of Directors and the entire team, and on a very personal level, I thank David for his significant contributions to the Company and wish him well with his future endeavours.”
Mr. James (Jim) Currie will assume the role of COO, bringing a depth of operational experience to the Company, including in California and Brazil. Mr. Currie has been consulting on and leading Aurizona development since June 2018 and also worked with the Mesquite Gold Mine from 2009 to 2011 in his capacity as COO of New Gold. Mr. Currie has held the role of COO for a number of multi-operational companies, most recently as COO of Pretivm Resources where he led development of the Brucejack gold asset. Previously, he led the construction and development of New Gold’s New Afton gold mine, which went into production in 2012. Over the course of his more than 30-year career in the mining industry he has been a director on various boards and held senior management, engineering and operation roles for a number of mines and projects. Mr. Currie holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree with honours in mining engineering from Queen’s University and is a registered professional engineer. He was the 2014 co-winner of AME BC’s prestigious EA Scholtz Award for Excellence in Mine Development for his work on New Afton.
“We have valued Jim’s contributions at Equinox Gold to date and welcome him to the team as Chief Operating Officer,” continued Mr. Milau. “Jim’s breadth of development and operating knowledge and experience, including at the Company’s newly-acquired Mesquite Mine, will be integral to Equinox Gold as the Company becomes a multi-mine producer in the next few months.”
About Equinox Gold
Equinox Gold is a Canadian mining company with a multi-million-ounce gold reserve base, gold production from its Mesquite Gold Mine in California, and near-term production growth from two past-producing mines in Brazil and California. Construction is well advanced at the Company’s Aurizona Gold Mine in Brazil with the objective of achieving commercial production around the end of Q1-2019, and the Company is advancing its Castle Mountain Gold Mine in California with the objective of ramping-up Phase 1 operations in early 2020. Further information about Equinox Gold’s portfolio of assets and long-term growth strategy is available at www.equinoxgold.com or by email at ir@equinoxgold.com.
Equinox Gold Contacts
Christian Milau, CEO
Rhylin Bailie, Vice President Investor Relations
Tel: +1 604-558-0560
Email: ir@equinoxgold.com
Cautionary Notes and Forward-Looking Statements
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This document contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively “forward-looking statements”). The use of the words “will”, “objective”, “advancing”, “strategy”, “transitions” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding construction activities and the planned restart of production at Aurizona; planned development and anticipated production at Castle Mountain; and the growth potential of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements may relate to the Company’s future outlook and anticipated events, such as the Company’s ability to successfully operate Mesquite, the Company’s ability to achieve the results anticipated in the Aurizona feasibility study, the Company’s ability to complete Aurizona construction activities on time and on budget, the Company’s ability to restart production at Aurizona and timing of the anticipated restart of production, the Company’s ability to achieve the annual production estimated for Aurizona, the Company’s ability to restart production at Castle Mountain and timing of the anticipated restart of production, the Company’s ability to achieve the results anticipated in the Castle Mountain prefeasibility study, and statements regarding the Company’s assets, business strategy, plans and objectives. The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on the Company’s current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of the Company’s business. These forward-looking statements were derived using numerous assumptions regarding expected growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If the Company updates any one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.