Darryl Norton appointed COO of Goldstone Resources

Goldstone Resources announced on Wednesday that it had appointed Darryl Norton as its chief operating officer - a non-board position - with immediate effect.

The AIM-traded company said Norton’s appointment marked the start of the company seeking to build an operational team as it looked to advance its projects in Ghana and, subject to funding, to move from being an explorer to a production company in the year ahead.

It said Norton has more than 35 years of experience in the mining industry across Africa, the former Soviet Union and South East Asia.

He has particular experience in the gold sector, it explained, having led and managed the design, construction and commissioning of projects for companies including Apex Mining and Paracale Gold in the Philippines, Gold Mines of Uganda, Oxus Gold in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Romania, Anglogold and Randgold Resources in Mali, and Durban Roodepoort Deep in South Africa.

Norbert also has board experience, having been an executive director of both Oxus Gold - quoted on AIM - and KazakhGold Group, which was admitted to trading on the main market.

The company said he also has an interest of approximately 10% in Paracale Gold, which is interested in 27.2% of the company's issued share capital.

“I am delighted that Darryl has joined the Goldstone team,” said non-executive chairman Neil Gardyne.

“He is a seasoned mining executive with a wealth of operational expertise in Africa and Asia, with a combination of a technical background and a track record of getting things done.

“I know I speak for the whole board in welcoming him to the company and looking forward to working with him as we seek to transform the company from an explorer to an operational company.”