ASX-listed Predictive Discovery plans to publish an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) on the Bankan gold project, in Guinea, by the end of January next year, in time for the Investing in African Mining Indaba, which will be held in Cape Town, from February 6 to 9.
The updated MRE will be followed by the publication of a scoping study by the end of 2023.
The company plans to spend about $47-million on work, which will be funded from its cash on hand, related to the scoping study, including environmental studies.
Predictive MD Andrew Pardey tells Mining Weekly that the project’s current resource lies on the outer buffer zone of the Upper Niger National Park and that environmental studies will need to consider potential impacts on the park in future, should the resource extend to the inner buffer zone.
He also points out that further MRE updates will be made available as the company progresses a 60 000 m diamond and reverse circulation drilling programme on the project, as well as infill and resource conversion drilling.
The Bankan project is located within the Siguiri district in the north-east of Guinea, and forms part of the West African Birimian gold belt, which also hosts Nordgold’s Lefa gold mine, AngloGold Ashanti’s Siguiri gold mine and Hummingbird Resources’ Kouroussa gold mine.
Pardey confirms that the company intends to develop and operate the project itself, and not outsource mining to a contractor or sell the project, hence its appointment of various versed experts in mining on the board and on technical teams.
The company envisions an openpit operation with potential for underground mining later on.
Pardey says the Bankan project, with its 4.2-million-ounce inferred resource as at of November 16, will remain Predictive’s main focus until well into the mine’s operations, before the company will consider acquiring and developing more West Africa-based prospects.