News: ORI Australia's South32 names industry veteran to lead Illawarra, manganese ops

June 29 (Reuters) - Australian miner South32 (S32) on Monday promoted industry veteran Jason Economidis as joint chief operating officer (COO) and said he would head its operations at Cannington, Illawarra Metallurgical Coal and Worsley Alumina mines in the country.

Economidis, who was appointed vice president of operations at Illawarra in 2018, will also manage the company's Australian manganese operations.

He joined from Melbourne-headquartered commercial explosives firm Orica (ORI) and has previously held senior positions such as COO of Vale Coal Australia and general manager of BHP Group's (BHP) Goonyella-Riverside and Caval Ridge mines.

Economidis will succeed Paul Harvey who is leaving to pursue other opportunities, South32 said.

The Perth-based miner said Mike Fraser will remain in his role as joint COO and will be responsible for Cerro Matoso, Hillside Aluminium, Mozal Aluminium mines and its South African energy coal and manganese divisons.

The miner in November last year said it would sell its South Africa thermal coal business, the latest company to exit energy coal at a time when investor pressure and climate change concerns are prompting businesses to limit their exposure to fossil fuels.