Hummingbird Resources has launched an exploration drilling campaign on its mining permit in Mali with an aim to expand the mine life of the Yanfolila Gold Mine, which is currently into its first full year of production.
Image: A gold rock. Photo: courtesy of PHGCOM/Wikipedia.org.
The UK-based mineral resources company said that the exploration drilling program is targeting conversion of resources to reserves to extend the current mine life of Yanfolila Gold Mine beyond 10 years.
For this purpose, Hummingbird Resources has deployed four rigs on site with plans to drill more than 50,000m across six existing deposits on the mining permit located in southern Mali. The miner said that all the deposits are closely located to the Yanfolila processing plant.
Hummingbird Resources revealed that a study carried out by DRA Projects to assess the underground potential at Komana East, below the open pit Yanfolila, showed potential for an economic underground mine with 113,000ozs of gold production to go along with the existing mine plan.
The company will begin the exploration drilling program at the Komana West deposit due to a new geological interpretation. Hummingbird Resources said that the new interpretation will be evaluating for open pitable down dip extensions of the high grade bonanza zones that were previously not followed up.
Apart from Komana West and Komana East, the other deposits where exploration drilling will be carried out are Guirin West, Gonka, Sanioumale West and Sanioumale East.
Hummingbird Resources geology VP Murray Paterson said: “The drilling is aiming primarily for the conversion of existing Resources to Reserves targeting an expected extension to Yanfolila’s mine life.
“We have a number of mineable deposits already proven up as Resources and this programme is about converting those ounces into the mine plan for Yanfolila.
Hummingbird Resources also disclosed that initial ground works at the Yanfolila Gold Mine have been completed while mining has commenced at Komana West.
The Yanfolila Gold Mine, which poured first gold in last December, is expected to yield around 130,000 ounces of gold in the first full year of production following the completion of commercial ramp up of gold production.