Orvana is a low-cost gold producer with significant growth opportunities and a strong balance sheet. Orvana owns and operates the Don Mario Mine in Eastern Bolivia and is developing two promising assets: the recently acquired El Valle-Boinás/Carlés gold-copper project in Northern Spain and the Copperwood copper project in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States.

Orvana currently has three main projects. Further information is provided in sections on each of these projects.

El Valle-Boinás/Carlés Project, Northern Spain

The El Valle-Boinás/Carlés Project is located in the Rio Narcea Gold Belt in Northern Spain, close to the port city of Avilés. In September 2009, Orvana acquired Kinbauri Gold for the El Valle-Boinás/Carlés Project, which is an excellent fit with Orvana’s strategic growth plans and its experience bringing underground mines into production.


Copperwood Project, Michigan, U.S.

The Copperwood Project is located in the western Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA, approximately 30 kilometres from the inactive White Pine Mine where nearly 2 million tonnes of copper was produced between 1953 and 1996.

Orvana acquired the Copperwood project in 2008 by entering into 20 year mineral leases covering 712 hectares within the Western Syncline in the Upper Peninsula of the State of Michigan. In September, 2010, the Company entered into a 30 year mineral lease agreement on 226 hectares east of and adjacent to the Copperwood mineral leases obtained in 2008. In August, 2010, Orvana purchased the surface rights that correspond to the aforementioned 30 year mineral lease, as well as approximately 480 hectares, in order to provide alternatives for infrastructure and access.

In February, 2012 the Company announced the results of an NI 43-101 compliant Feasibility study which presents a 13-year underground operation that applies conventional drill-and-blast methods and room-and-pillar mining

Don Mario District, Eastern Bolivia

The Don Mario district is located in the Chiquitos Province of eastern Bolivia and has three main mineral deposits of which the largest is the Don Mario Lower Mineralized Zone (“LMZ”) low-cost gold mine. This low-cost gold deposit was depleted in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 after producing more than 420,000 ounces of gold. The second, lower-grade, Las Tojas gold deposit, commenced production in August 2009 and was depleted in April of 2011. The third deposit, the Upper Mineralized Zone (“UMZ”) open-pit copper gold-silver deposit commenced Commercial production in January 2012. The UMZ has an estimated mine life of nine years.

Michael D. Winship, P.Eng.

Interim President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Winship was appointed to the Orvana Minerals Board in February 2013.  He is currently a Director of Rubicon Minerals Corporation and a Director of Avanti Mining Inc.  He has over 30 years of international experience in mine development, operations, and corporate business.  Mr. Winship was the Chief Operating Officer of Quadra FNX Mining Ltd prior to its acquisition by KGHM in 2012.  He has also previously served as President of HudBay Minerals and Chief Operating Officer of PT International Nickel, now PT Vale.  He has held project and operating positions with Inco, Placer Dome, and Cominco.  Mr. Winship holds a Bachelors of Mining Engineering Degree from McGill University.

Daniella Dimitrov

Chief Financial Officer

Ms. Dimitrov has over 18 years of broad capital markets, commercial and operational experience. Ms. Dimitrov has held various consulting roles in the mining industry since 2009, including with Baffinland Iron Mines where she served as a director and the Vice Chair. Ms. Dimitrov’s former positions include Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives of Raymond James Ltd. from 2006 to 2008 and Chief Operating Officer of Dundee Securities from 2005 to 2006. Ms. Dimitrov has served as a director or member of various financial services regulatory organizations and committees including the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments. Ms. Dimitrov is also the Chair and a director of Commonwealth Silver and Gold Mining Inc. and a director of Aldridge Minerals Inc.  Ms. Dimitrov has a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor and is currently completing an Executive MBA at Kellogg School of Management and Schulich School of Business.

James Jacques of Ironwood, Michigan

Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Jacques joined the company in 2011 as Director of Mining & Engineering of the Copperwood Project. He received his BS Mining Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and an MBA and an MS Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He has 25 years of underground mining experience and held various operations management positions with ASARCO, Glencore , and Nyrstar.

Mauricio Peró

Executive Vice President, Empresa Minera Paititi (EMIPA)

Mr. Peró has nearly 30 years of operations experience in the mining industry, including 12 years as Mine Superintendent and Project Manager at the Inti Raymi mine in Bolivia, and most recently as the General Director of Operations for Southern Peru Copper Corporation in Lima, Peru.  Mr. Peró holds a Masters of Science in mining engineering as well as an MBA from Columbia University

Francisco Fimbres

Director General Kinbauri Espana S.L.U. 

Mr. Fimbres lead the two Eurotin´s Spain subsidiaries as Operations Manager and VP during the exploration phase to resource level; co-led the process design and construction management for the Aguas Tenidas copper/zinc mine in southern Spain. Mr. Fimbres has also been senior plant manager for several mining operations in both North and Central America, including El Mochito in Honduras, The Cananea Concentrator as the largest copper producer in Mexico, and a polymetallic Montana Tunnels operation in the western USA.