Perseus Mining Limited (ASX/TSX: PRU) has updated its Life of Mine Plan (LOMP) for the Yaouré Gold Mine in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.
Yaouré Gold Project layout.
Updated Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources associated with Yaouré are estimated to be 51,3-million tonnes grading 1,34 g/t gold containing 2,21 million ounces of gold at a cut-off grade of 0,4g/t within an optimal pit shell constrained at a gold price of US$1 800/oz.
The Updated Inferred Resources are estimated to be 47-million tonnes, grading 1,1 g/t gold and containing 1,7 million ounces of gold at a cut-off grade of 0.4g/t. The estimated Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources include Ore Reserves totalling 29,6-million tonnes of ore grading 1,71 g/t gold and containing 1,63-million ounces of gold.
The estimated Ore Reserves include ore delineated at the Angovia, and Govisou deposits as well as the Y2N and Y3 pitlets located adjacent to the Yaouré pit. The updated Ore Reserves do not include mineralisation associated with the potential CMA Underground deposit that is currently the target of infill drilling. There is a forecast mine life of 8 years from 1 July 2021 with potential to materially extend the mine life through additional discoveries and definition drilling of known deposits, including the CMA underground extension.
Yaouré is located in a rural area in central Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, on the southern edge of Lake Kossou, 35 km north-west of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and 25 km east-north-east of the city of Bouaflé. The Kossou hydroelectric power station is located 6 km east of the mine site while the villages of Angovia and Allahou-Bazi are adjacent to the mine site.
The main sources of ore to be processed at Yaouré during the remaining 8 years of mine life, as currently defined, are two adjacent open pits (CMA and Yaouré) while additional ore will be mined from the smaller Govisou and Angovia 2 pits and two small pit-lets known as Y2N and Y3. Ore feed will continue to be supplemented with oxide material drawn from decommissioned heap leach pads located close to the runof-mine pad.
Ore will be transported from these various sources to the adjacent processing plant and waste will be taken to a single, large waste dump located between the pits and the adjacent villages. Tailings from the process plant will be stored in a single, HDPE lined, tailings storage facility located to the south of the process plant. A significant majority of Yaouré’s workforce live in five local communities located near the mine site. An on-site camp has been constructed to accommodate those members of the workforce who are not local residents.
