ASX-listed Askari Metals has appointed Lachlan Reynolds as technical consultant to provide geological, technical and strategic oversight as the company continues to deliver on its African-focused exploration strategy.

The company says Reynolds’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for the company as it continues to compile and digitise the historical exploration database at the recently acquired Nejo gold project, in Ethiopia.

The appointment also comes as the company starts to mobilise its in-country team into the field to undertake an initial exploration campaign at its flagship Nejo project, where historic exploration has outlined significant high-grade gold and copper mineralisation which has not been systematically explored with modern exploration techniques.

Executive director Gino D’Anna notes that Lachlan has significant experience across Africa having held senior positions with a number of exploration and development companies spanning multiple commodities.

He says Lachlan’s specific experience in East Africa is of particular relevance to Askari and its flagship Nejo gold project.

Askari says Reynolds has extensive experience working with multidisciplinary teams on projects that have ranged from greenfield exploration to resource development, feasibility studies and mining.

He has previously worked in various different African countries, including Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Kenya.

Reynolds has held several senior management positions, including GM of African Energy Resources and MD of Energy Ventures. Reynolds also served as director and CEO of East African Copper.

The company says it will continue to build a strong in-country technical team and capitalise on its excellent relationships with industry, government and other stakeholders in Ethiopia to support this plan.

“Lachlan possesses more than 30 years of experience with a strong working knowledge of greenstone-hosted orogenic gold deposits like those in the Arabian-Nubian Shield. We are pleased to have attracted the skills of such a high-calibre professional,” says D’Anna.

Meanwhile, Askari is building a Tier 1 gold portfolio focused in Ethiopia on the highly prospective Arabian-Nubian Shield, considered one of the last underexplored mineral-rich frontier belts hosting multiple large-scale gold and copper deposits.

“Askari is at the forefront of exploration and development in Africa and we have been successfully operating across Africa building a strong presence in the areas that we operate,” says D’Anna.

He says the recent acquisition of the Nejo gold project enables the company to leverage off the high gold price and position the company to build a Tier 1 gold and copper portfolio in the strong emerging market of Ethiopia.

Simultaneously, the company is assessing its options for the future exploration and development of the Uis project, in Namibia, which presents a polymetallic opportunity showcasing high-grade tin, tantalum, rubidium and lithium mineralisation.

“We continue to define the strategic direction of the company focused on exploration and development in Africa where we benefit from a considerable first mover advantage,” says D’Anna.