Toronto-based Rubicon Minerals Corp. (RMX-T;RBY-A) said that its chief executive officer Michael A. Lalonde has left the company, and Michael D. Winship, currently a company director has been appointed interim president and CEO.

"Mr. Winship, who has over 35 years of experience in the mining industry, is extremely qualified to lead the company, as the project transitions into the production phase," said chairman David Beatty. "The board will undertake the process of selecting a new President and CEO on a full-time basis."

Mr. Winship was most recently the president and CEO of Orvana Minerals and was previously the chief operating officer of Quadra FNX Mining Ltd., and president of Hudbay Minerals Inc.

Rubicon Minerals also announced that it has been ordered by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change on Sept. 30, "to temporarily suspend mill operations at the Phoenix Gold Project [in Red Lake, Ont.] to treat elevated ammonia levels, discharge sufficient water from the tailings management facility, and to upgrade the TMF, under specific timelines.

The company said the initial order received on Sept. 8, ordered Rubicon to commission new interim and permanent ammonia treatment systems for the effluent held in its TMF and discharge a portion of treated effluent. It also ordered Rubicon to undertake other operational and reporting obligations, including construction upgrades to the TMF.

Rubicon "has been utilizing alternative technologies to address the ammonia levels in the TMF. Rubicon has made progress with respect to treating the effluent and believes it can resume mill operations in a timely manner," the company said.

At the current time, underground development, construction and trial stoping continue uninterrupted, the company said.

"The Rubicon management team and the board of directors take these matters seriously and are committed to operating at the highest environmental standards," said Michael Winship, interim president and CEO. "We have made progress towards treating the elevated ammonia levels in the effluent and have made it a priority to resolve these issues in a timely manner. Our underground operations continue uninterrupted during this time and we hope to resume mill operations shortly once we have met all the requirements outlined by the MOECC."