PERTH (miningweekly.com) – An updated mineral resource estimate has confirmed the potential for a new underground mine at Tabakoroni, at the Syama gold project, in Mali.
ASX- and LSE-listed gold miner Resolute Mining on Wednesday reported that the Tabakoroni mineral resource has now been upgraded to 8.1-million tonnes, grading 4.9 g/t gold for some 1.26-million ounces of contained gold.
This was up from the maiden resource estimate of 850 000 oz of contained gold declared in 2019.
Resolute told shareholders that the mineralisation at Tabakoroni remained open along strike and at depth, with continued exploration expected to expand the mineral resource and further extend the mine life.
An updated life-of-mine feasibility study is currently being compiled using the expanded resource estimate.
A prefeasibility study completed last year estimated that the Tabakoroni underground mine could produce some 80 000 oz/y of gold at an all-in sustaining cost of $974/oz over an initial four-year mine life. The project was estimated to require a capital investment of $86-million, with total project capital spend estimated at $118-million.
The underground operation expected to use modified Syama oxide processing infrastructure and thus planned to commence following completion of Syama oxide operation.