Modern Mining November 2019

MINING News

Sanbrado remains on schedule for mid-2020 start-up

Management appointments include Luke Holden as General Manager – Operations, Stuart Cruickshanks as General Manager – Technical Services and Todd Giltay as General Manager – Finance. Holden has more than 14 years’ experi- ence in site-based operational roles in West Africa and Australia. He was most recently Director General of Nordgold’s Taparko gold mine in Burkina Faso. Cruickshanks has assumed responsibil- ity for managing the technical aspects of the mining operations. He is a mining engi- neer with more than 25 years’ experience in the mining industry and has held opera- tional and technical management roles with major and junior mining companies in Australia and Africa. Giltay will provide key support to the finance team and CFO Padraig O’Donoghue. He has more than 17 years’ experience working for Aurion, Placer Dome and Barrick. A combined open-pit and underground operation, Sanbrado will be a substantial mine, with an average annual production of 217 000 ounces expected over its first five years of mine life and just over 300 000 ounces in its first year. Owned 90 % by WAF with the Government of Burkina Faso hold- ing a 10 % free-carried interest, it is located approximately 90 km east-south-east of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, and covers an aggregate area of 116 km 2 , consisting of a granted mining permit and a granted exploration licence. 

A recent view of the plant area at Sanbrado (photo: West African Resources).

Updating on progress at its Sanbrado gold project in Burkina Faso in its latest quarterly report (to 30 September 2019), ASX-listed West African Resources (WAF) says con- struction of the mine is proceeding on time and on budget for the first gold pour in mid-2020. During the quarter, West African appointed African Mining Services Ltd (AMS), as preferred tenderer for the open- pit mining contract for the Sanbrado project. This was the final major opera- tional contract for Sanbrado. Scope of works under the US$170 million, five-year contract will include site preparation, drill and blast, load and haul, and maintenance works. Mobilisation activities are expected to commence in November 2019, ahead of open-pit mining commencement in January 2020. Two key contracts were awarded late last year, with Australia’s Lycopodium being appointed as EPCM contractor for the mineral processing facility and support- ing infrastructure and Byrnecut Burkina Faso, part of the Australian-based Byrnecut group of companies, as the underground mining contractor. At the end of the September quarter, the Sanbrado process plant and infrastructure was approximately 70 % complete, with the CIL tanks completed, structural steel and mill erection commencing, process plant concrete nearing completion, and all major mill components on site.

Construction on the process plant is progressing well, with all seven CIL tanks successfully hydrotested, SAG and ball mill components on site partially erected and civil work complete with the exception of the ROM bin vault and the gold room. WAF has been able to accelerate the construc- tion schedule and now forecasts to pour first gold by June 2020. The water storage facility was hold- ing over 1,4 gigalitres of water at the end of the reporting period, which satisfies water requirements for commissioning and steady state operations.

The SAG and ball mill components are on site and partially erected (photo: West African Resources).

4  MODERN MINING  November 2019