EV Minerals Corporation has appointed mining engineer Guy Bédard as a director to support underground mining operations at the Santa Monica Copper Project in Chile.

Bédard brings nearly 40 years of experience leading major underground and open-pit operations across the Americas and West Africa, including previous roles as general manager at First Majestic Silver’s San Dimas mine and Lundin Gold’s Fruta del Norte mine.

Santa Monica holds a Small Miner's Permit allowing extraction of 5,000 tonnes per month. With existing underground infrastructure in place, material can be trucked directly to ENAMI, converting high-grade material into revenue without a concentrate or smelting step. This production represents the first phase of a multi-phase plan, followed by large-scale exploration drilling scheduled for later this year.

The company is advancing production without a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Consequently, the production decision carries increased uncertainty and multiple technical and economic risks of failure.

“The appointment of Mr. Bédard adds significant underground operating experience to the Company at the point where we begin executing on near-term production. With copper trading at historically strong levels, near-term production under the Small Miner's Permit provides the Company with a mechanism to fund the large-scale exploration and resource drilling we intend to commence later this year, and to grow the resource base without relying solely on the equity markets”

— Nicholas Konkin, President and CEO, Director

Read the full announcement: EV Minerals Announces Appointment of Director