Marimaca Copper: Appointment of Company President

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marimaca Copper Corp. (“Marimaca Copper” or the “Company”) (TSX: MARI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Hayden Locke as President of Marimaca Copper, effective immediately. Mr. Locke will be working alongside the Company’s CEO, Mr. Luis Tondo, and Executive Chairman, Mr. Michael Haworth.

Hayden is a highly experienced mining executive, having spent the latter part of his career developing and leading successful LSE and ASX-listed mining companies. Prior to that he worked in investment banking with J.P. Morgan and mining private equity with Barclays Natural Resource Investments.

Since early 2018, Mr. Locke has been Chief Executive Officer of AIM-listed Emmerson Plc (“Emmerson”), a Moroccan focused potash development company, where he remains on the board as a Director. Prior to this, Hayden was Head of Corporate for ASX-listed gold developer Papillon Resources, which was acquired by B2Gold in late 2014 for US$600 million, and Head of Corporate and Technical Services (Geology, Mining and Processing) with ASX-listed potash developer, Highfield Resources.

Michael Haworth, Executive Chairman of Marimaca Copper commented:

“We are delighted that Hayden has agreed to bring his wealth of experience to Marimaca Copper as the Company’s new President. The Company is at a pivotal moment in its development. We believe we are on the verge of unlocking the significant exploration potential of our flagship Marimaca Copper Project and in our extensive claims package surrounding it. Hayden has a proven track record developing and executing value creating strategies in companies in both the exploration phase as well as in financing and development. This experience will be vital for our Company as we seek to realise the true value of our assets.”

Hayden Locke, President of Marimaca Copper, commented:

“I am delighted to be joining Marimaca Copper at this exciting time in its development. The Marimaca Copper Project is one of only a handful of new copper discoveries that has been made in the last five years, and the ongoing, untested, exploration potential within the Company’s claims package, as evidenced by the recent announcement with respect to the magnetic anomaly at the Marimaca Project, is extremely compelling.

“I look forward to working with Mike, Luis and the broader Marimaca Copper team as we continue to progress the Marimaca Project and assess the exceptional exploration potential in its extensive land package.”

About Hayden Locke

Mr. Locke initially studied engineering and commerce before completing a graduate degree in mineral exploration geosciences through Curtin University and the Western Australian School of Mines. He commenced his career in investment banking in London, initially with Deutsche Bank and then J.P. Morgan before returning to Australia in 2009. On his return to Australia, Hayden joined the Australasian office of Barclays Natural Resource Investment, a private equity investment vehicle focused on metals and mining, energy, and renewable energy, with over US$2 billion in committed capital.

In 2011, Mr. Locke was recruited as Head of Corporate for Australian gold explorer Papillon Resources. Papillon discovered and fully permitted the five million-ounce Fekola Gold Project in Mali, West Africa, completing a several technical studies and capital raisings, before eventually selling the company to Canada listed gold producer B2Gold for over US$600 million in 2014.

In 2014, Mr. Locke joined ASX listed Spanish potash developer Highfield Resources as Head of Corporate and Sales & Marketing. As of mid-2017, he also assumed responsibility for the Technical Services Department managing geology (resource and reserve estimation), mining, metallurgy and processing.

In late 2017, Hayden led the reverse acquisition and re-listing, to the mainboard of the London Stock Exchange (“LSE”), of Emmerson Plc (“Emmerson”) (LSE:EML). Following its re-admission to the LSE in June 2018, Mr. Locke was appointed CEO of Emmerson, where he remains on the board as a Director. In just over two years, Hayden transformed Emmerson from an early stage explorer, guiding it through a significant infill drilling campaign and resource upgrade, completed a comprehensive metallurgical testing program and several technical studies, and delivered the Feasibility Study in June 2020.

Contact Information

For further information please visit or contact:

Tavistock

+44 (0) 207 920 3150

Jos Simson/Emily Moss

Notes to Editors

Marimaca is fast becoming recognised as one of the most significant copper discoveries in Chile in recent years as it represents a new type of deposit which challenges accepted exploration wisdom and promises to open up new frontiers for discoveries elsewhere in the country. Marimaca is hosted by intrusive rocks while the numerous manto deposits in the same region are hosted by volcanics.  With a lack of new copper exploration discoveries in Chile, the growing Marimaca resource is a high-profile development project as it is situated in the coastal belt at low elevation close to Antofagasta and Mejillones. This prime location could enable its future development at a relatively modest capital investment. Marimaca will benefit from nearby existing infrastructure including roads, powerlines, ports, a sulphuric acid plant, a skilled workforce and seawater.