Robust strengthens management team and expands rig fleet

Australia-listed firm Robust Resources Limited said on Wednesday that it has made significant progress strengthening its management team and expanding its company-owned drilling rig fleet to fast track exploration and development activities at its flagship Romang Island in East Nusa Tenggara.

"As Robust embarks on a 27,000 metre, $10 million exploration program for calendar 2011, it has taken the decision to strengthen its senior management team so it has the right skills base in place to support the next growth phase of its Indonesian projects," the company said.

Gordon Lewis has been appointed Chief Operating Officer based in Jakarta. A qualified engineer and mine manager, Gordon has over 30 years experience in mining and exploration, and has spent over 10 years working in Indonesia across on a number of gold production and exploration projects. He was the founding mine manager of Rio Tinto?s +7 million ounce Kelian gold mine in Kalimantan, Indonesia, and was also the last person to build an operating gold mine in Indonesia, the Avocet Mining PLC Lanut mine in Sulawesi.

Robust is also announced that Warwick Browne has joined the company as Health, Safety, Environment and, Community (HSEC) Manager.

The Company has also announced that it has purchased its seventh diamond core drill rig to service North Romang where it is targeting a gold-rich copper porphyry system. Robust is currently undertaking an IP-Resistivity survey to identify suitable drill targets. Early feedback has been positive with a number of anomalies identified. The rig and six months of supplies has arrived on site and upon receipt of the first phase of data, drilling will commence immediately.

Lewis added that Robust is in the final stages of selling all of its non-Indonesian exploration assets which will result in the company securing an equity stake in an Australian focused gold exploration company.

?Given the success and potential of the Romang Island project, we have taken the decision to focus our efforts on highly prospective and underexplored terrains such as Indonesia, and specifically this project. We expect to announce more drilling results in the coming weeks as we continue to work towards delineating a maiden JORC mineral resource.? (romel)