Vatukoula Gold Mines is under the interim management of a local miner, pending the announcement of a new manager.

The news comes as Chinese national Yi Huan resigned after a recent trip to join his family in Canada.

An internal memo from management to staff said Mr Yi returned for a visit to his family, after COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed.

It was his first visit back to his family since 2019.

According to management, Mr Yi cited family circumstances as his reason for quitting.

It comes seven and half years after he joined Vatukoula Gold Mines, which he first joined as a technical services manager, before working his way up to general manager and director.

“As this was a rather sudden decision on Mr Yi’s part based on his personal circumstances, the post has not been advertised,” Vatukoula Gold Mines said.

“We await input from our Board.”

In the meantime, Onisimo Fonmanu, a career miner who worked for a while at the Mineral Resources Department is holding the fort as the accredited mine manager.

The Suva-born miner is in charge of safety, training and rescue services at the mines.

He joined the mines straight out of high school in a cadet management scheme in the late 1990s.

Mr Fonmanu is one of six managers of the scheme that continue to serve the mine.

A self-confessed workaholic, his work covers an underground area spanning an estimated 20 square kilometres of operation – or 4000-plus acres.

In another development, Vatukoula Gold Mines is preparing to launch its Dolphin Shaft.

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