Las Cristinas mine joins Roland Venezuela acquisition program
Boston, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - April 16, 2026) - Roland Mineral Enterprises Corp. (TSXV: RME) is pleased to announce Mining Engineer Dr. Sadek El-Alfy, Ph.D., B.Sc., has agreed to join Roland's Board of Directors and to act as Vice President, Mining & Operations. Dr. El-Alfy has an extensive and highly successful performance history in Venezuela. As Vice President, Mining Operations, with Crystallex International Corporation, Dr. El-Alfy was responsible for advancing the Las Cristinas gold deposit from exploration, to a NI 43-101 compliant definitive Feasibility Study, through commencement of mine construction, including an Environmental Assessment Plan, an Environmental Mitigation Plan, and a Social Responsibility Plan approved by Venezuela, as guided by World Bank Equator Principles.
Dr. El-Alfy was instrumental in transforming the $171,000,000 in pre-2001 exploration and development expenditures at the Las Cristinas gold deposit by Placer Dome to Mine Development Associates' NI 43-101 compliant November 2007 Technical Report, which reported 20.761 million ounces of Measured & Indicated gold and 6.276 million ounces of Inferred gold at average grades of 1.03g/t gold and 0.85 g/t gold, respectively, using a 0.50 g/t gold cut-off grade and gold price of $750/oz. This historical mineral resource estimate, as tabulated below, was based on 1176 drill holes totaling 160,600 meters.   Of particular importance to the development of the Las Cristinas gold mine, Dr. El-Alfy developed and implemented strategies that resolved artisanal and "illegal" mining activities at Las Cristinas without incident. Dr. El-Alfy adds to Roland his wealth of Las Cristinas-specific mine development knowledge and his experience operating mines in Venezuela, together with his extensive knowledge and experience with other Venezuelan gold mines, gold deposits and exploration projects as Roland's Venezuela Mineral Rights Acquisition Program advances.
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