Solis Minerals (ASX:SLM) has appointed former CFO Battery Materials for Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) Mitch Thomas as CEO, while Mike Parker will transition from Executive Director to Technical Director, effective from March 2025.
Thomas (inset), who was also the former CFO for Latin Resources (ASX:LRS), has corporate, commercial, and project development experience. He has worked extensively in South America, including three years in Peru to support the development of the La Granja Copper Project.
In addition, Thomas has worked in Rio Tinto’s London merger and acquisition team focusing primarily on copper.
Recently, he has played a key role in the divestment of Latin Resources’ Salinas Lithium Project in Brazil to Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) for $600 million. On 5 February, Pilbara Minerals completed its acquisition of Latin Resources. The Salinas Project will be renamed to the Colina Project, as reported by Mining.com.au.
Solis Minerals Non-Executive Chairman Chris Gale says Thomas has a proven track record of supporting early-stage and large-scale mining projects in South America.
“We are very excited about the extensive drilling campaign in 2025 that will take place across our copper-rich tenement package in southern Peru,” Gale says.
“We are confident that Mitch, Mike Parker, and the whole Solis team will position Solis Minerals for success in 2025 and beyond.
“The extensive work in identifying drill-ready targets and adding more tenements to our now 66,000 hectare tenement package in southern Peru has placed Solis Minerals in a commanding position in what is one of the most attractive copper provinces globally.”
Meanwhile, Mike Parker is transitioning his directorship to predominant technical focus. Parker has served the company as Executive Director since August 2024.
Parker, who has been a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for more than 16 years, is a geologist and holds a BSc Mining Geology Honours degree from the University of Leicester, UK.
Yesterday, Mining.com.au reported Solis is preparing several workstreams in preparation to begin drilling in the second half of 2025 at the Cinto Project in Peru.
This news comes after the company identified extensive copper porphyry mineralisation in rock and channel sampling at the project.
The Cinto Project comprises eight tenements covering 3,169 hectares in the Cenozoic Porphyry Belt of southern Peru.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Solis Minerals
