ASX-listed West African Resources has poured the first gold at its Sanbrado project, in Burkina Faso.
The first smelt exercise at the mine delivered gold bars weighing almost 24 kg, or 768 troy ounces.
The project has processed 75 000 t of ore at a grade of 1.5 g/t gold, exceeding nameplate capacity, since its start-up about a week ago. This while 250 000 t of ore awaits processing on the run-of-mine pad.
“This is a major milestone for West African Resources and marks the beginning of a new phase in the company’s history. To successfully transition from an exploration company to a gold producer is without a doubt a great achievement for all involved,” says chairperson Richard Hyde.