Sanbrado Gold Project

Sandbrado Gold Project – The senior management team at West African Resources (WAF) continues to reference Mintrex as a trusted advisor with the relationship starting with their Mankarga project scoping study in 2014. Our support continued through the pre-feasibility study (PFS) in 2014/15, when WAF were considering a 1 Mtpa heap leach solution for the oxides mined from the M1 South and M5 pits. During this period and in order to provide a lower cost for treating the oxides, Mintrex evaluated various options including relocation of second hand equipment, following a site visit to Burkina Faso by an Executive Engineer.

In April 2015 Mintrex was awarded the Mankarga 5, Tanlouka Gold bankable feasibility study (BFS) for the low cost heap leach starter project. During this BFS, WAF achieved extremely successful drilling results with high grade intersections at depth. As a result, and in consultation with the Mintrex team for their expert advice, WAF decided to change their strategy to focus on a conventional carbon-in-leach (CIL) process for improved recovery of the high grade ore. One of the major challenges Mintrex overcame during the design of the comminution circuit was to ensure it could handle both the softer oxide ore and the very hard high grade material.

During 2016, the project was renamed Sanbrado to provide clarity on the new strategy. Mintrex took on the lead consultant role for the refocussed BFS and worked collaboratively with WAF and their other consultants delivering the geology, mining, metallurgy and geotechnical components. A blending strategy was devised for optimal plant and throughput (now 2 Mtpa) design and all of the inputs were factored into the overall Mintrex design to account for variability, which was crucial to WAF going forward.

WAF has been delighted with the result of the Sanbrado BFS, completed in February 2017. Managing Director, Richard Hyde commented, “From high-grade discovery to delivering a robust feasibility study in less than 12 months is an outstanding achievement and a credit to our dedicated in-country team and independent consultants”. WAF has extended their drilling campaign to further prove up their resource, updating their BFS prior to making their final investment decision for development.

Sanbrado was constructed during 2019/2020 and they recently commissioned the process plant with their first gold bar being poured on 18 March 2020  https://www.westafricanresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/02216206.pdf

West African Executive Chairman Richard Hyde commented: “This is a major milestone for West African Resources and marks the beginning of a new phase in the WAF story. To successfully transition from an exploration company to a gold producer is without doubt a great achievement for all involved. I would like to thank WAF’s owners’ team and all consultants, contractors and other stakeholders for their hard work and support over the last four years to bring Sanbrado from discovery into production.”