PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed West African Resources has poured its first gold at the Sanbrado project, in Burkina Faso.
The miner on Friday reported that a gold bar weighing 23.9 kg was poured in the first smelt during the week.
“This is a major milestone for West African Resources and marks the beginning of a new phase in the West African story. To successfully transition from an exploration company to a gold producer is without a doubt a great achievement for all involved,” said executive chairperson Richard Hyde.
The $185-million Sanbrado project is expected to produce an average of 211 000 oz/y of gold over the first five years of operation, with production averaging 133 000 oz/y over the 11-year life-of-mine.
The process plant mill throughput is already meeting nameplate capacity, Hyde said on Friday, with some 75 000 t of ore, grading 1.5 g/t gold, already having been processed through the plant, with indicative metallurgical recoveries over 90%.
Openpit mining activities have also been ramping up, with some 250 000 t of oxide ore currently stockpiled on the run-of-mine pad, while underground development continues to progress.