PERTH (miningweekly.com) – A scoping study into a potential underground mine at the Yaouré gold project, in Cote d’Ivoire, has proved that the operation could be feasible.
“The results of the Yaouré underground mining scoping study highlights one further avenue for Persues to expand its already technically feasible and financially attractive Yaouré gold project,” said Perseus MD Jeff Quartermaine.
“When this potential is combined with the existing mineral resource and ore reserves that are scheduled to be mined using opencut methods, the Yaouré gold project, which on current estimates is expected to start producing gold from openpit operations in December 2020, should form a major portion of Perseus’ business in Cote d’Ivoire for many years to come.”
A 2017 definitive feasibility study into the Yaouré project estimated that it would produce 215 000 oz/y over its first five years of operations, with life-of-mine average all-in site costs estimated at $759/oz.
The project was estimated to require a capital investment of $262.7-million, of which $252-million would be spent on the processing plant and infrastructure, and a further $11-million on mining pre-strip.
A subsequent front-end engineering and design (FEED) study estimated a capital cost of $264-million.
Perseus on Monday reported a preliminary inferred mineral resource of three-million tonnes for the potential underground mining operation, grading at 6.2 g/t gold for 595 000 oz.
The mineral resource for the potential underground project remains open along strike and depth.
However, Perseus noted that the mineral resource was not in addition to the Yaouré openpit mineral resource, with some 46% of the mineral resource lying between the base of the openpit and the $1 800/oz pit shell that constrains the openpit resource.