As an Australian company, underground hard-rock mining contractor Barminco believes it has the right skills, new technology and knowledge of the mining industry and its operations to benefit the African mining industry, says Barminco business development executive GM Daniel Archer.

Speaking to Mining Weekly at the Investing in African Mining Indaba, which took place in Cape Town last month, Archer highlighted that Australia possessed “a large and mature mining sector” and, with 25 years’ experience of operating in the sector, Barminco could assist Africa in establishing highly efficient and successful mining operations.

“We also place emphasis on transferring our knowledge and skills to African operations to ensure that we leave a lasting legacy through the upskilling of the local workforce,” he said.

Archer said the company regularly attended the Mining Indaba, as it is a major event on the international mining schedule where mining houses, investors and service providers gathered at one location.

“As an Australian company operating in Africa, we believe strongly in the future of the African mining industry and the Mining Indaba is undoubtedly the best place to showcase what we have to offer the industry,” he stated.

Archer pointed out that the company’s African business is growing, not only owing to Barminco’s operations but also through its 50:50 joint venture, African Underground Mining Services (AUMS), with Australian diversified mining and services company Ausdrill.

AUMS is currently involved in several projects in Africa, including underground development and diamond drilling at Perkoa zinc mine, in Burkina Faso’s Sanguie province, owned by ASX-listed resources company Blackthorn Resources subsidiary Nantou Mining Burkina Faso SA.

AUMS is also involved in the underground development of Africa-focused bullion producer Rand Gold Resources’ Yalea North underground gold mine and its Gara underground gold mine, both located in Loulo, Mali.

In Ghana, AUMS is involved in two of Canadian gold miner Kinross Gold’s projects, at the Akwaaba Deeps project, in south-western Ghana, 100 km south-west of Kumasi, where the company is undertaking the mine’s underground development and production.

At Kinross Gold’s Paboase project, which is on the same mining lease as the Akwaaba Deeps project, the company is responsible for underground development.

Archer further noted that in June 2013 AUMS completed the underground development, production and diamond drilling at gold miner Newmont Ghana Gold’s Subika underground mine in Kenyasi, in the Brong-Ahafo region.

“Barminco is also directly responsible for all underground developments at Arabian-Nubian Shield-focused gold mining company Centamin’s Sukari gold mine, in Egypt. This is a great project for the company and one from which we have learnt a great deal,” he stated.

According to Centamin’s website, Sukari’s current life-of-mine expectancy is about 18 years, based on its proven and probable gold reserves of 10.1-million ounces.

In a press statement released by Centamin in January, it stated that its advised fore- cast production for this year from the Sukari mine was 420 000 oz at a cash operating cost of $700/oz.

“This would represent an 18% increase on the 2013 production of 356 943 oz and would become the fifth successive year of output growth at Sukari,” stated Centamin.

The Sukari mine’s Stage 4 expansion project is in the commissioning phase and throughput is expected to steadily increase during the year, enabling the company to realise its long-term production target of 450 000 oz/y to 500 000 oz/y.

A key component of the Centamin production profile is the underground operation. Underground exploration drilling is ongoing, with the Sukari’s UGRSD0041 section encountering significant mineralisation of 10 m at 162 g/t.

Centamin is confident that its underground resource and reserve growth will continue.