North of 60 Mining News - The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North

Tom Henderson has been promoted to general manager for Coeur Alaska as the operator of the Kensington Gold Mine moves toward production, parent company Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. said Oct. 18.

Henderson, who has served as mine manager for Kensington since late 2006, will replace Tim Arnold effective Nov. 1.

After overseeing construction of the Kensington Mine Project, Arnold is leaving his post as Coeur Alaska vice president and general manager to pursue other opportunities, the company said.

Henderson previously worked as a mining manager at the Robinson Mine in Ruth, Nevada, and the Goldstrike Mines in Carlin, Nevada He also served as mine manager at the Grasberg Mine - one of the world's largest - in Indonesia during a total of 29 years in mining operations.

"Tom's background at the Kensington Mine as well as his extensive mining management experience will ensure efficient, environmentally safe operations at this world-class facility," Dennis E. Wheeler, Coeur d'Alene's chairman, president and CEO said in a statement.

Construction at Kensington is more than 90 percent complete with Coeur focusing on improving production processes while awaiting approval of operating permits. First ore was originally scheduled to begin production in late 2007 with an initial annual output of up to 150,000 ounces of gold. But a court challenge and subsequent delays have impeded startup.