Canadian miner Barrick Gold Corporation’s Loulo-Gounkoto complex, in Mali, has had a fourth consecutive quarterly improvement in gold production.
This was despite an illegal work stoppage that resulted in it missing its full year production guidance of 690 000 oz by 4%.
Additionally, Barrick said it was a record throughput year in 2018 for Loulo, with more than five-million tonnes at close to the complex’s reserve grade.
Barrick president and CE Mark Bristow said at a media briefing, in Ontario, Canada, on Tuesday, that the complex ranked among the tier one assets of the recently merged Barrick/Randgold, while Barrick continues to invest in the project’s future by exploring for additional reserves and upgrading equipment.
“A preliminary economic assessment of the Loulo 3 openpit and underground project has been completed and drilling continues to expand the area of high-grade mineralisation south of the Yalea orebody.
“Exploration of the Faraba structure on the Gounkoto permit has shown the potential for multiple zones of mineralisation to be extended,” Bristow said.
Meanwhile, at the company’s existing operations, it has commissioned a second crusher at Yalea, a full integration of an automated dispatch system at Gounkoto and a second radar for the geotechnical monitoring of the Gounkoto pit.
The complex has also completed a striker belts project at Gara and moved ahead with an expansion of the tailings treatment facility.