A private equity company specializing in acquiring and operating good assets in the precious & base metals space. Kirungu operates the famous, 70-yr old, El Mochito mine in Honduras, an important employer in the region. The mine continues to outperform quarter-on-quarter, and exports approximately 100 kt zinc-lead-silver concentrates per year.

Managed the turnaround of the El Mochito polymetallic mine in Honduras, and the development of the Lagoa Salgada project in Portugal. At El Mochito we reduced serious incidents by 76%, achieved over 1.5 million fatality free shifts, increased mill throughput by 46%, and reduced the AISC from $1.47 per payable pound ZnEq by 27% to $1.05/lb. In Portugal, we put together a maiden, 10Mt, polymetallic MRE and completed a positive PEA on the project returning a post-tax IRR of 31%.

Responsible for two gold-copper-silver mines and reported to the CEO & BOD. During my short tenure we were able to extend the life of Don Mario mine in Bolivia -due to close in 2016- by at least three years. We also increased the head grade in at the flagship El Valle Mine in Spain by over 25% by stopping unpay stopes. This materially assisted the company in cleaning up its balance sheet and paying off all outstanding corporate debt. Proposed an alternative, proven mining method to be employed at the Carles Mine which would result in a reduced AISC. Successfully doubled the capacity of the Selenium water treatment plant for discharge water. Successfully negotiated wage increases over 3 yrs instead of the usual yearly negotiation without any work stoppages - a first at both mines.

Apogee Silver controlled three silver and base metals assets containing over 114 moz of silver resources (Ind. & Inf) in Bolivia and Chile. The primary asset was the historical Pulacayo mine in Bolivia. Our exploration program doubled the size of the resources in one year. A positive feasibility study for a 2.5moz/year silver mine was concluded in 2013. Under testing conditions, trial mining and processing activities resulted export commercial concentrates for early cash flow. Thanks to strongly developed social-political relationships we were able to avoid nationalizations which took out a number of other prominent Canadian mining companies.

On behalf of defaulting creditors (new owners) I was brought in and took the local company through administration, rebuilding & selling the asset within 18 months for 8xNAV. Responsible for all in operations in Peru, including the Pachapaqui polymetallic Mine in Ancash province, and the San Luis gold project in Ayacucho province, Peru.

Responsible for fifteen mining projects within the group, including two new shafts and the FS for the expansion of the then flagship -Cerro de Pasco- operation, a $1B investment over three years which included the construction of two large concentrators and the partial relocation of a town. Other large projects included construction of two new mines, two new shafts on existing operations, a 4.5km high- speed haulage, and efficiency & operational improvements to existing operations (plant upgrades, new hydropower plants etc.)

Responsible for a large, multidisciplinary team 685 direct & indirect employees carrying out all mining activities at Golden Star’s Bogoso/Prestea flagship operation to achieve a production rate of 5.6mt ore/year extracted from five open pits spread out over a wide (80km) lease area on the Ashanti trend. PM of the mine through the $150M expansion in 06/07. Also responsible for the development of the Prestea underground mine (2 shafts 1,000m+ deep and 3 internal shafts) to provide a source of high grade material to the plant at a lower cost per ounce. Primary function was to foster the departments towards the common goal of safely producing gold oz’s at a lower unit cost while improving relationships with stakeholders and government bodies.

Potgietersrust Platinums Limited (PPRUST) – South AfricaPPRUST is a large open pit mine that expanded by more than 50% to 60mtpa over three years to meet the required 200koz target. Responsible for mining operations and a budget of $40M/yr. Managed a large, multi-disciplinary team (272 mine employees & 320 contractors) towards the common goal of producing platinum oz’s at a lower unit cost. Improved productivity by 22% through effective performance management, improving operator skills, and implementing a revolutionary truck refuelling system among other initiatives.

Initially working for SRK and later Gemcom Africa, I became a specialist at mining design and optimisation, software including Whittle 4X, and worked on projects and mines in South America, Australia, Canada and Africa with most of the big mining companies today. I finally got back into project management this way and was ultimately employed back into the operations environment through Anglo Platinum.

First as an undergrad, I worked as a junior mining engineer, and then mining engineer on various deep level gold mines in the positions of machine operator, stoper, developer, NS cleaner, shaft onsetter, S/boss, M/O, shaft sinker etc. Obtained my RSA mine managers cert. & mine overseer's cert. in 1996. Worked in various junior, middle management and senior positions.