Claire Derome, the highest-level female mining executive in North America,is stepping down as president and CEO of Quebec gold producer McWattersMining (MWA-T).
No replacement has been named, and Derome will carry on her duties untilone is in place.
Having founded McWatters in 1994 as a junior exploration company, Derometurned it into a gold producer with the watershed acquisition, in 1997, ofthe Sigma-Lamaque and Kiena gold mines in Val d’Or, Que., from PlacerDome (PDG-T).
With gold prices in the doldrums, the subsequent years were difficult forMcWatters, despite such technical successes as the more than doubling of thecompany’s gold reserve and resource base, and the launching of open-pitmining at Sigma-Lamaque.
During the last couple of years, McWatters staved off bankruptcy byundergoing a corporate restructuring that briefly led to the provincialgovernment owning 40% of the company.
Today, McWatters operates the Sigma-Lamaque mine, is carrying outunderground exploration at its nearby East-Amphi gold property, and ownsmore than 200 sq. km mining properties and related production facilitiesalong the Cadillac Break in Quebec’s Abitibi region.
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