The company, which is working to bring the Raven coal complex to fruition in British Columbia’s Comox Valley, said Tapics stepped down as an officer to pursue other opportunities.

“Mr Tapics will continue on as an advisor and director and will aid in an orderly transition,” officials said.

Stephen Ellis has been selected to take the seat of president and chief operations officer, and chief financial officer will be Grant Tanaka.

Ellis, a 30-year coal mining veteran, has held positions in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

He joined Compliance in 2012.

Tanaka previously held senior financial positions with New Gold and Teck Resources and has extensive accounting, corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions experience.

“We will be able to draw on their [Ellis’ and Tanaka’s] respective underground coal mining and financial and accounting experience as we advance the Raven project,” chairman Jim O’Rourke said.

The initial application for Raven was rejected last month by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Office.

The company also has a 60% interest in the Bear Coal complex and owns the Anderson Lake deposit, though it said earlier this month it did not have plans to explore either even if Raven received the go-ahead.

Should Raven come into operation, the complex is expected to create about 350 full-time jobs and be in operation for more than 16 years.