Modern Mining June 2016

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28 MODERN MININGJune 2016
WEST AFRICA
feature
The ‘Plant Practical Completion
and Processing Performance Tests’
confirming nameplate throughput
and recovery assumptions were
completed over a month ahead
of schedule and mine development remains
ahead of plan year to date. In the underground
operation, four sublevels are fully developed
to the eastern end of the resource and ore de-
velopment is continuing to the western end
of the first mining block on three levels. Ore
development is expected to increase further
when development commences in Block 2 on
the western side of the deposit. Stoping opera-
tions in Block 1 will commence in July, further
increasing the mine’s productivity.
As of mid-May, there were approximately
30 000 tonnes of mill feed grade ore on the run
of mine (ROM) pad. This represents approxi-
mately six weeks of plant throughput at the
nameplate level of 750 tonnes per day (t/d) and,
together with development ore, should ensure
that the processing plant is adequately supplied
through the ramp up phase.
The processing plant was built on an EPC
basis by a South African joint venture of DRA
and Group Five and has been designed to be
easily expandable. According to Roxgold,
Yaramoko – just 13 months from
breaking ground to pouring gold
The Yaramoko processing
plant which has a capacity
of 270 000 t/a (photo:
Roxgold).
Canada’s Roxgold Inc, listed on the TSX-V, has poured the
first gold at its Yaramoko gold project in Burkina Faso –
13 months after breaking ground at the site. The initial gold
pour totalled 1 020 ounces. Located 200 km south-west of
Ougadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, within the Houndé
greenstone belt, Yaramoko is a low-cost, high-grade
underground mine representing an investment of US$110,8
million. The mine is designed to produce 99 500 ounces
a year over an initial mine life of 7,4 years at a LOM all-in
sustaining cost of US$590 per ounce.