By Blake Wilshaw FORMER Kambalda nickel mines and Beaconsfield gold mine manager Matthew Gill will return to WA as managing director of Monarch Gold. In upcoming months, Mr Gill will replace Allan Quadrio, who was appointed managing director of Territory Resources. Mr Quadrio oversaw the progression of Monarch from a fledgling explorer to producer. He announced his move to Territory one week after Monarch's maiden gold bar was poured from the Davyhurst processing plant, 120km north-west of Kalgoorlie. Mr Gill will now see the company through the next phase of its ambitious strategy; to produce 500,000oz per annum by December 2009. "I think it's an exciting task. It's refreshing and exciting to have that sort of a target in front of you," Mr Gill said. "The exploration potential is terrific and there's a commitment behind it ($11 million). There's not much point having land if you're not going to do anything with it. There'll be hard yards and commitment but I think the ingredients are there to bring that to fruition." Mining engineer Mr Gill worked for Western Mining in 1994 and 1995. "I was at Kambalda as area manager looking after four of the nickel mines there - Otter Juan, Mariners, Lanfranchi, Wannaway - and I actually did the feasibility study for Miitel," he said. Otter Juan, Mariners, Wannaway and Miitel are now owned by Mincor Resources and Lanfranchi is a 75-25 joint venture between Sally Malay and Canada's Brilliant Mining. "I went from Kambalda to Beaconsfield in late '95," he said. "I arrived for pre-feasibility, the old shaft was still half flooded, so took it through dewatering, feasibility study, mining, plant construction/ commissioning. "There was a few bumps along the way and I finished in March this year." One of these bumps was the rescue of trapped miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell in May 2006. During this time Mr Gill showed his nouse for communicating with stakeholders and relaying progress of the rescue to the public, giving him an international profile. From this he engaged in corporate speaking and consulting. The position at Monarch is his first as director of a mining company. "The opportunity with Monarch really stood out. I think they've done a terrific job in the current climate to get Davyhurst from zero to production," Mr Gill said. "The bumps of the last week or two in the market are going to make it tough for a lot of miners. "Being in production is a critical difference for mines, rather than just relying on the market or debt for financing."
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