Aim-listed Hummingbird Resources has started construction at its Kouroussa gold mine in Guinea and has also received results from further assays of the 2021 Resources and Reserves infill drilling programme, including a notable hole of 24 m at 5.33 g/t among others.

Construction began following the mobilisation of equipment and personnel in December.

Ground clearing works for key infrastructure, a mine camp and processing plant are under way, while further long lead item purchases are being finalised.

The pit dewatering team is also on site and works have started to further stabilise the key mining deposits for future mining operations.

Moreover, construction equipment, tooling, machinery and consumables continue to arrive and are in position on site for the overall build process.

Process plant civil works are scheduled to start in February once more ground clearing works are completed.

DRILLING

Meanwhile, Hummingbird has received further assay results on 30 reverse circulation (RC) and three diamond holes on the high-grade Koekoe (KK) deposit, delivering about 3 200 m out of the company’s about 24 000 m infill drilling programme for 2021.

To date, it has received about 10 050 m of assays from the 2021 programme, with more expected in the first quarter of this year.

Hummingbird continues to receive ongoing high-grade drill intercepts, coupled with multiple thick mineralisation zones, from its infill drilling campaign completed in 2021.

These updated results continue to provide increasing confidence and geological knowledge of the high-grade nature of Kouroussa's key KK deposit, the company notes.

The KK deposit has a current maiden reserve of 408 900 oz at 4.38 g/t, with upside potential once all the 2021 infill drilling data is analysed, and which will feed into the company’s updated resources and reserves statements that are scheduled for release in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, Hummingbird has noted the announcement of January 9 of sanctions imposed on Mali, with immediate effect, by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), in response to the government of Mali's proposed timetable to hold elections.

The sanctions pertain to restrictions on the movement of cash, people and goods, across borders, into and out of Mali from the wider Ecowas region.

Hummingbird says it is evaluating the immediate risks to its supply chain and is exploring all plans for mitigating any potential impact, but also notes that it is too early to say how these sanctions may potentially affect its business.