DENVER, June 8, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Trend Mining Company (OTCBB:TRDM) is pleased to announce that Mr. Thomas Loucks has joined the Company as President and CEO, assuming that role from Kurt Hoffman who will remain on the Board of Directors of the Company. Mr. Loucks was formerly Executive Vice President and Treasurer of Royal Gold, Inc. serving that Company from 1988 to 1999. At Royal Gold he participated in the restructuring of the Company from an operating mining company into a highly successful, cash flowing royalty company, involving a major redirection of the Company's business plan. Prior to that, Mr. Loucks was with Newmont Mining Corporation where he was responsible for analysis of corporate acquisition, diversification, and planning efforts.
Mr. Loucks obtained both A.B and A.M. degrees in Geology from Dartmouth College and also an M.B.A. from Stanford University, and is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists. In addition to the work experience above, Mr. Loucks also has been with AMAX, Inc. and Kennecott Copper Corporation where he coordinated project feasibility and prefeasibility studies, organized domestic and foreign mineral exploration, drilling, and/or development programs, and managed land acquisition and property evaluations. For the last five years Mr. Loucks has acted as an independent consultant and financial advisor to small companies, primarily advising them on business organization and acquisition matters.
In other news, the Company is also pleased to announce that Dr. Ishiung Wu has assumed the role of Chairman of the Board of the Company, assuming that position from Mr. Mike Sharratt, who will remain on the Board of Directors. Dr. Wu became a director of the Company in August 2000 and intends to undertake a more active role with the Company as Chairman. Dr. Wu is also President of GreatWall Gold Corporation, a private company with exploration activities in China.
Dr. Wu has over 30 years' experience in mineral exploration management. As a former manager of exploration for Chevron Resources Company in North and South America from 1980 to 1991, he was also a member of a platinum working group that evaluated platinum group metals exploration models worldwide and at the Stillwater complex of which Chevron was the co-developer with Manville Corp. Prior to Chevron, he garnered extensive field experience through his work with Exxon Minerals, Kennecott Exploration and on properties of Cerro de Pasco and Compania de Minas Buenaventura. Dr. Wu holds an M.A. (1971) and Ph.D. (1975) in economic geology from Harvard University, where he was a Teaching Fellow in Geology from 1971 to 1973. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists.
Trend Mining Company is a U.S.-based exploration company that has 100% ownership of eight precious metals properties throughout North America, covering over 150 square miles, with the potential to host metal deposits containing platinum, palladium, gold and other metals.
Throughout this press release there are forward-looking statements and assumptions made by management within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. Factors that could cause results to differ materially from those projected are, but not limited to, adverse price fluctuations of underlying metals, the company's ability to acquire and develop properties, competition from larger more established companies, the ability to finance future acquisitions and projects, and governmental regulation. Trend Mining Company believes that the projects it has entered into and those it will enter into show promise, but there can be no guarantee of that. This press release is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer to solicit, buy, or sell any security.