Tsodilo Resources Limited, the exploration company says it has hired Dr Alistair B. Jeffcoate as Project Manager / Chief Geologist to lead it metals exploration and resource development programs, particularly its’ iron ore project, in Botswana.
Dr Jeffcoate spent his entire professional career with the Rio Tinto group of companies including Rio Tinto Iron Ore Atlantic and Rio Tinto Exploration. Immediately prior to accepting the position with Tsodilo, Alistair was Senior Geologist at Rio Tinto’s Simandou Project, Guinea West Africa (Iron Ore) where his key responsibilities were coordinating the activities of the large and complex resource evaluation and exploration department.
This included planning, coordinating, and implementing the drilling activities on site for a fleet of up to 11 drill rigs, both reverse circulation (RC) drilling and diamond drilling (DD). Under Alistair’s co-leadership the department developed leading practices via continuous improvement initiatives in many areas such as characterisation of ore and waste, QA/QC and database validation protocols. Alistair also has experience of technical project management, mentoring, training, reporting, brownfield exploration, geological modelling, resource estimation and product prediction work.
Alistair’s career at Rio Tinto began as project and exploration geologist at Simandou and between his postings on the Simandou project he was rewarded with the opportunity to go on an 18 month secondment with Rio Tinto Iron Ore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia to work on their iron ore operations. Firstly working as a mine geologist at the Greater Paraburdoo mines and then later as project geologist on the Koodaideri evaluation project. Alistair’s responsibilities included in pit grade control and block out procedures, reconciliation, H+S representative, project supervision of a multi rig drill program, and ore body knowledge.
In addition to his extensive and multi-disciplinary work history, Dr. Jeffcoate holds a MSc Geology (Royal Holloway, University of London) and a PhD Geochemistry (University of Bristol).
James M. Bruchs, Chairman and CEO, stated: “It is crucial that we attract talent of Alistair’s caliber to move our projects to their next stage of development. Dr Jeffcoate has been involved in all aspects of metals resource development with expertise in exploration; resources modeling and evaluation; orebody knowledge & genesis; research and development; geochemistry and open pit iron ore mining. His excellent leadership and management skills backed up by first rate technical proficiency and proven research and development capabilities coupled with a solid understanding and experience in HSEC values, and risk management systems, possessing a commitment to zero harm culture are a welcome addition to our talented staff in Botswana”.
Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond and metal deposits at its Newdico (Pty) Limited (“Newdico”) and Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited (“Gcwihaba”) projects in northwest Botswana. The Company has a 98% stake in Newdico (895 km² under Precious Stone – diamond licenses).
The Gcwihaba project area: 2,404 km² under Precious Stone – diamond licenses; 11,158 km² Metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) licenses; and, 6,925 km² under Radioactive Minerals licenses is 100% held by the Company. Tsodilo manages the exploration of both the Newdico and Gcwihaba license areas. Overall supervision of the company’s exploration program is the responsibility of Dr. Mike de Wit, President and COO of the Company and a “qualified person” as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. The company has offices in Toronto, Canada and Gaborone and Maun, Botswana.
