Horizonte Minerals plc has appointed Michael Drake as head of projects for the company’s operations in Brazil.
Mr Drake is a mechanical engineer with experience in developing, operating and optimising nickel operations, and across both RKEF and HPAL technologies.
He has also led the construction, operation and optimisation of medium-to-large international capex projects. He also has expertise in ferro-nickel, and nickel acid-leach operations.
Prior to joining Horizonte, Mr Drake worked for BHP, Newcrest Mining, and WMC Resources.
At BHP, he led Cerro Matoso’s US$350 million ferro-nickel production line refurbishment with a complete furnace rebuild in Colombia. At Nickel West, he implemented a US$5 billion capital investment programme, and led the asset ramp-up phase of the Ravensthorpe nickel operation in Australia.
Mr Drake is a graduate from Curtin University and also has an MBA from the University of Western Australia.