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.
| Category | Million Tonnes |
Gold Grade (g/t) |
Contained Gold (Moz) |
| Measured & Indicated | 629.383 | 1.03 | 20.761 |
| Inferred | 229.626 | 0.85 | 6.276 |
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. He adds important contacts and relationships to Roland, including his broad network of legacy personnel associated with his leadership developing the Las Cristinas gold mine and operating other mines in Venezuela and his intimate knowledge of other Venezuelan mines, deposits and exploration projects.
Today, Dr. El-Alfy has a complete working knowledge of the Las Cristinas gold deposit, its specific features, and its nuanced political and jurisdictional considerations and technical history. The Las Cristinas gold deposit is one of the acquisition targets of Roland’s Venezuela Mineral Rights Acquisition Program.
Dr. El-Alfy’s career includes serving as General Manager, Mining and Processing, at the Iron Ore Company of Canada’s Carol Lake operation — one of the largest integrated iron ore mining complexes in North America — where he achieved over two million accident free man hours. His career includes being Chief Mining Engineer at the Historic Giant Yellowknife Mines, General Manager at the Pamour Porcupine mines, and other operations in arctic Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Dr. El-Alfy was awarded a B.Sc. and a Ph.D. (Mining Engineering) from The University of London, Imperial College of Science and Technology, Royal School of Mines. Dr. El-Alfy is a past member of the Association of Engineers of British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Ontario and Newfoundland. He speaks 4 languages including Spanish and Arabic.
In addition to being a driving force behind Roland’s Venezuela Mineral Rights Acquisition Program, Dr. El-Alfy is also expected to play a leading role in Roland’s potential acquisition of an interest in the Las Crucitas gold project in Costa Rica, and Roland’s Dominion Creek Dredge Gold project in the Yukon Territory and the Buck Lake platinum, palladium, nickel and copper project in Ontario, Canada.
Dr. El-Alfy comments: “I am excited to join the Roland team, and to bring to bear my Venezuela experience and my energy to advance Roland’s Venezuela Mineral Rights Acquisition Program for the benefit of all stakeholders including, and especially, the local populations which will benefit greatly from the unlocking of these valuable mineral resources.”
On behalf of the Board of Directors
ROLAND MINERAL ENTERPRISES CORP.
PER: “Frank Garofalo”
FRANK GAROFALO, B.Sc. (MIT), M.Sc., MBA (Harvard)
Vice President, Business Development
For further information contact:
Frank Garofalo, VP, Business Development
Boston, MA
Tel.: 617.947.6692
Mark C. Patchett, President
E-mail: president@rolandmineral.com
Tel: 604.213.8665
Toll Free: 1.888.880.2288
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which we have no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC’s mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.
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