Modern Mining May 2019

MINING News

Nordgold invests over US$70 million at Lefa

be complete before the end of the year. Lefa increased ore mined volumes in 2018, focusing its mining activities on delivering ore from four pits, as well as on waste stripping at two pits to ensure delivery of quality ore in 2019. Road access has been completed to the recently dis- covered Kassa mining area, which will serve as a new satel- lite pit. Two major construction programmes were completed during the year. The Lero Karta river diversion was relocated to its final position and various upgrade design specifications were undertaken. The mine continued to operate success- fully throughout a heavy rain season in 2018. Upgrades to the tailings dam embankments were completed.

One of the pits at the Lefa gold mine in Guinea (photo: Nordgold).

There has also been investment in upgrading the mining fleet. As part of the mining fleet replacement programme, a new excavator and five new trucks were commissioned in Q4 2018, with three more trucks delivered in Q1 2019. In 2018, Lefa’s exploration activities included greenfield discovery drilling, resource conversion drilling and deep underground potential drilling. Four early- stage exploration satellite discoveries were made during the year. Additional investment was made into upgrading the Lefa processing facilities in 2018. The processing plant throughput was increased by 2 % by recommission- ing of the pebble crusher with significant engineering modifications to the mill cir- cuit. The processing plant’s gold recovery section also saw significant improvements, including the installation of a separate reagents wash column and elution col- umn, 800 electrowinning cells, a cascade barring furnace, and the replacement of the pre-soak tank and elution heaters. The Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) 1 extension was completed in 2018 with the additional operating capacity expected to last until 2021. The TSF 2 feasibility study has commenced and is scheduled for com- pletion in 2020. 

Reviewing activities during 2018 at its Lefa gold mine in Guinea, Nord Gold SE (Nordgold) reports it completed a sig- nificant investment programme into the operation during the year. Capital expenditures designed to both improve efficiencies at Lefa while also extending its life of mine increased to over US$70 mil- lion from US$48 million in 2017. Nordgold acquired the Lefa mine in 2010. Since acquiring the mine, the com- pany has invested almost US$1 billion into the country thereby maintaining its position as one of Guinea’s largest gold producers. From 2011 to 2018, Nordgold paid approximately US$180 million in corporate taxes and royalties. Lefa pro- vides direct employment for almost 1 200 employees, as well as over 800 indirect jobs. The mine has also invested signifi- cantly to improve the provision of local health and education services, including support in the fight against Ebola, as well as the creation of new medical facilities and some 40 schools. In 2019, Nordgold says it plans to increase its extensive investment in Guinea by 15 % year-on-year to approximately US$80 million. “We remain committed to Guinea and to driving performance at the Lefa mine.

This intensive investment programme will put us in the best position to maximise the value of this major asset. Alongside the investment into equipment and facilities, we will also maintain our strong support of the local communities. The investment into staff development programmes, but also education and health facilities, will bring major benefits to the area. Lefa is an important asset, and Nordgold will con- tinue to invest in exploration to extend its life of mine and to sustain the current pro- duction level,” says Alejandro Rodrigues, Acting GM of Lefa. Nordgold has made further improve- ments to safety and working conditions at Lefa, including the purchase of a second fire engine and additional state-of-the-art fire-fighting equipment. Nordgold has continued to invest in employee development. In addition to wage rises for all workers, the company has provided training programmes to over 600 employees, half of Lefa’s workforce. There has also been an upgrade to both office and on-site leisure facilities. Lefa will extend its employee devel- opment programme, offering vocational training courses to over 1 000 employees in 2019. Construction of a leisure and fit- ness facility is on-going and expected to

10  MODERN MINING  May 2019