Modern Mining January 2021

GOLD

Yaouré Gold Mine pours first gold five weeks ahead of schedule

Perseus Mining Limited has successfully completed the first pour of gold at its Yaouré Gold Mine in Côte d’Ivoire. The company achieved this nearly five weeks ahead of schedule, consistent with its stretch target of first gold at Yaouré in December 2020. Modern Mining touched base with the company for an update. By Mark Botha .

P erseus Mining MD and CEO Jeff Quartermaine ascribes this achievement to a combination of good planning, efficient execution and “strong commitment to delivering on promises”. He says pouring first gold over a month ahead of schedule would not have been possible without strong site leadership and cooperation between Perseus’s development team, the various contractors and sub-contractors who worked on the project, and members of the host communities and the Ivorian government. The total construction cost, including measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, was projected in November 2020 to be below the budget of US$265- million and, by the end of December 2020, a total of US$237-million had been paid to suppliers of goods and services. “We are confident that the final cost will come in below the budgeted cost of US$265-million, once all accounts have been settled,” says Quartermaine.

Perseus Mining MD and CEO Jeff Quartermaine.

Perseus Mining acquired Yaouré when it merged with Amara Mining plc in April 2016. The company has since completed an extensive programme of confirmatory drilling and test work, and has prepared

Once fully operational, the mine is expected to process approximately 3,3-million tonnes of ore per year.

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22  MODERN MINING  January 2021