full steam ahead

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."