Modern Mining June 2019

MINING News

Thor signs EPC contract for Segilola gold processing plant

Thor and AFC are now in the process of documenting the financing. “We are delighted to have reached another important milestone at the Segilola gold project,” says Segun Lawson, President and CEO of Thor Explorations. “This is a key contract that fixes the major- ity of the project cost, guaranteeing both construction time and plant performance, materially de-risking the delivery of the project. I would also like to thank the rep- resentatives of the Ministry of Mines in Nigeria who have continued to show their support for the development of the proj- ect and who witnessed the signing of this contract with Norinco International.” Thor announced positive results for its

Thor Explorations, listed on the TSX-V, has announced it has signed the engineer- ing, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Norinco International Cooperation Limited for its 100 %-owned Segilola gold project in Nigeria. Segilola is considered to be Nigeria’s most advanced gold project. Norinco is an incorporated com- pany affiliated to China North Industries Corporation and is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange with a market capitalisa- tion of approximately US$930 million. The EPC contract was signed on the 31 May during the 10th International Infra­ structure Investment and Construction Forum in Macao, China. It has been

agreed on a lump sum turnkey (LSTK) basis which provides Thor with a fixed price of US$67,5 million for the full deliv- ery of design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the proposed 650 000 tons per annum gold ore processing plant within 18 months of the commencement date and includes guarantees for construction schedule and plant performance. Commencement of the EPC contract is subject to certain conditions precedent, including financial close of the US$78 million Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) financing announced in April this year. In this regard, Thor says it has now received AFC board approval for the AFC financing.

independent Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) on an open-pit opera- tion at Segilola earlier this year. The process- ing plant will consist of a conventional crush, grind, gravity and leach process, followed by carbon adsorption and then elution at high pressure and tempera- ture, electrowinning and doré bar production by induction furnace. Life of mine average recov- ery is estimated to be 97 % resulting in life- of-mine production of 393 400 ounces. 

The proposed Segilola processing plant, which wiil have a capacity of 650 000 tons per annum.

Birimian selects DRA to work on Goulamina ASX-listed Birimian has announced that DRA Global has been selected to provide engineering services to optimise the pro- cess flowsheet for the Goulamina lithium project in Mali.

of an updated Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and declared a maiden ore reserve for the Goulamina project, the results of which demonstrate excellent project econom- ics and significant potential for further upside. This PFS follows an earlier Goulamina study released in October 2017 and con- firms that Goulamina can be profitably developed as a large scale, low cost, hard rock lithiummine to produce a competitive product to capitalise on current commodity market trends. The recommended development scenario comprises an opencut mining operation and a 2 Mt/a mineral concentrat- ing plant able to produce 362 000 t/a of 6 % Li 2 O spodumene concentrate. 

racy required for the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), which is due for completion in Q1-2020. DRA has recently been involved in the execution of number of lithium studies and projects. The key personnel assigned to Birimian have been an integral part of the design and commissioning of three lithium projects in Western Australia in the last 12 months and will contribute an unrivalled combination of knowledge and experience in an area which is crucial to the success of the Goulamina project. In July 2018, Birimian – which is in the process of changing its name to ‘Malian Lithium Ltd’ – announced the completion

This scope of work will include the following deliverables: review and inter­ pretation of the metallurgical testwork; process design criteria; mass and water balance; block flow diagram; process flow diagrams; and mechanical equip- ment list. This work is key to developing and opti- mising the design of the process plant and to the subsequent production of a capital cost estimate to the ±10 % level of accu-

16  MODERN MINING  June 2019