Anglesey Mining's (LON:AYM) 33 per cent associate Labrador Iron Mines (TSE:LIM) has appointed Rod Cooper as president and chief operating officer with effect from December 1.
Cooper's appointment comes as LIM moves into being a large iron ore company and he will be responsible for all operational aspects of the business, including mining, processing, transport and ports, said LIM.
The current president and COO, Bill Hooley, who is chief executive of LIM's largest shareholder, Anglesey, will be appointed vice chairman and director of LIM.
John Kearney, chairman and chief executive of LIM, said the appointments were very much a "natural transition" for the company.
Cooper is currently vice president and senior analyst of mining with Dundee Securities and previously was vice president of operations and COO with Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation during its major development activities on the Mary River iron ore project on Baffin Island.
He has also worked for Kinross, Homestake and Echo Bay.
Hooley will return to the UK to continue his role with Anglesey, and through his continued position with LIM will have oversight of new developments and ongoing product marketing, as well as providing general advice and guidance on the Schefferville projects, said LIM.
LIM is focused on developing the 100 per cent owned Schefferville Area direct shipping iron ore (DSO) properties in western Labrador and northeastern Quebec.
It began production from the James Mine this summer after the successful commissioning of the mine and Silver Yards processing plant earlier in the year. It began shipping high quality lump and sinter fine products to China this Autumn.
On Tuesday this week, LIM said it was targeting total production of more than two million tonnes of iron ore to be shipped and sold next year from Schefferville, as it released its second quarter results and results for the six months to September 30 this year.
LIM said 1.5 million tonnes of saleable product is expected to be yielded next year, along with around 500,000 tonnes of direct railable ore (DRO) from both the 2011 stockpile and from 2012 mining.