RBC Capital Markets, the corporate and investment banking arm of Royal Bank of Canada has appointed three mining and metals analysts.

Leon Esterhuizen is joining as director and mining analyst, covering South African gold and platinum companies. He has spent the past 13 years working as a gold and platinum mining equity analyst at Investec Securities in Johannesburg.

Cailey Barker joins as vice president and mining analyst, with responsibility for covering African, Russian and Eastern European gold and base metal mining companies. He previously worked as a metals and mining equity analyst for HansonWesthouse, after moving from his role at Loeb Aron & Co and Brook Hunt & Associates.

Arnold van Graan also joins as an associate from Investec Securities in Johannesburg where he was a gold and platinum research assistant.

All three will be based in London, joining Des Kilalea, director and mining analyst who covers many AIM listed mining companies, as well as some diamond mining and development companies.