West African scores heap leach plant
THE DRILL SERGEANT: West African Resources (ASX: WAF) has entered into an agreement to acquire a second-hand 1.6 million tonnes per annum heap leach plant for the company’s Boulsa project, in Burkina Faso.
The plant is currently located nearby in Ghana, within trucking distance of some 850 kilometres from the Boulsa project.
According to West African Resources the key components of the plant including crushers, agglomerator and conveyors are in good condition and require only minor refurbishment.
“We are targeting gold production from Mankarga 5 in 2015 at a low cost by utilising second-hand equipment where possible,” West African Resources managing director Richard Hyde said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.
“The heap leach plant provides the potential for us to fast-track the recently acquired Mankarga 5 deposit into production with an initial production target of 1.6 million tonnes per annum to achieve initial production of at least 50,000 ounces of gold per annum, subject to study outcomes.
“We remain on track to deliver a resource upgrade for Mankarga 5 by the end of this quarter, with the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment and Scoping Study in the first half of calendar 2014.”
West African explained it has been working with its consultants regarding the proposed project development schedule for Mankarga 5 and surrounding prospects.
The company has set a target of gold production at Mankarga 5 in 2015, which in order to achieve it will first upgrade the Mankarga 5 resource by focussing on the oxide and transition zones.
This will lead to completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and Scoping Study, which will investigate the economic potential of low-cost heap leach start-up project.
Provided a positive outcome is achieved from the PEA and Scoping Study, the company indicated it would immediately transition into Feasibility Studies and apply for a Mining Permit in the second half of 2014.
Email: info@westafricanresources.com
Website: www.westafricanresources.com