Modern Mining June 2019

REGIONAL FOCUS: WEST AFRICA

years. Underground mining is completed in Year 6 of gold production while open-pit min- ing continues through until mid-way through Year 10 of production with processing carried out for a full 10 years. Mining and processing of the high-grade M1 South deposit probable ore reserve is prioritised, generating significant early cashflow. WAF published the results of an Optimised Feasibilty Study (OFS) in April this year reveal- ing the very favourable metrics of the project. At a base case gold price of US$1 300/oz and

Sanbrado was acquired by WAF in early 2014 as part of its acquisition of Canadian junior Channel Resources. At that stage WAF was already active in Burkina Faso and held the neighbouring Boulsa project. Four separate mineral resources have been estimated for Sanbrado consisting of Mankarga 1 North (M1 North), Mankarga 1 South (M1 South), Mankarga 3 (M3) and Mankarga 5 (M5). The current mineral resource estimate is 39,4 Mt at 1,9 g/t Au for 2,41 Moz Au (indi- cated) and 15,7 Mt at 1,3 g/t Au for 0,68 Moz Au (inferred). The probable ore reserve is 21,6 Mt at 2,4 g/t Au for 1,65 Moz of gold. Although WAF completed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) on Sanbrado in 2015 which envisaged an open-pit, heap leach operation, the company – which has since substantially increased the resource base – has now elected to use a conventional CIL flowsheet, with the open-pit mining being supplemented by underground mining. The project will com- prise several open pits, all within 1-2 km of the plant site, and an underground mine accessed through a boxcut and portal immediately to the south-west of the M1 South open pit. The project has an initial mine life of 10

The boxcut for the underground mine under construction.

Isometric view of the processing plant.

June 2019  MODERN MINING  35