Resolute Mining has announced the commencement of sublevel cave ore production from the new Syama Underground Mine in Mali, West Africa.
Image: 3D model of Syama Underground Mine development design. Photo courtesy of Resolute Mining Limited.
The extraction of first ore from the southern end of the 1105 level of the Syama sublevel cave marks the greatly anticipated beginning of the main caving operation at the Syama Underground Mine and the achievement of a major milestone for the company.
Resolute’s Managing Director and CEO John Welborn, was delighted to be on-site at Syama for the commencement of the new sublevel cave underground mine:
“The successful development of the Syama Underground Mine represents a pivotal moment in the long history of Resolute. Syama will be the world’s first, purpose built, fully automated sublevel cave gold mine. It is a world class, long life, low cost asset that will deliver long term benefits to our shareholders, stakeholders, and local Mali communities for years to come.
“Syama will be the most sophisticated and advanced gold mine in Africa. Our investment in exploration, infrastructure, technology, power, and innovation at Syama has transformed a world class orebody into a world class mine. Resolute has an ambition to be a leader in sustainable and responsible economic growth in Africa. We recently announced plans to build a new 40 MW Syama Solar Hybrid Power Plant which will deliver an expected 40% savings on power costs and is expected to be the world’s largest mine based, off-grid fully integrated independent solar hybrid power plant.
“The commissioning of Project 85, a series of sulphide processing plant upgrades, will enable us to achieve improved recoveries from high-grade ore sourced from the new sublevel cave.
The combination of mine automation, improved recoveries, and lower cost power has the potential to increase Syama site production to 300,000 ounces of gold per annum and reduce Life-of-Mine All-In Sustaining Costs to below US$750 per ounce.
“The Syama Underground Mine is an achievement that builds Resolute’s African development expertise demonstrated in earlier successes at Obotan and Golden Pride. The new mine also builds on the Company’s underground technical achievements demonstrated in pioneering the sublevel shrinkage mining method at the Mount Wright Underground Mine in Ravenswood, Queensland.
“I congratulate and applaud the Resolute team who have worked tirelessly to deliver the Syama Underground Mine from development to production on time and on budget.”
Source: Company Press Release