Mining Intelligence and News
Burkina Faso

Kiaka Project

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StageConstruction
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Kiaka Project comprises the Kiaka Main and Kiaka South open pits. Kiaka’s construction progress remains on schedule and budget.

Major procurement and installation contracts finalised included the structural, mechanical and piping (SMP) wet and dry areas, as well as the high voltage mains powerline and substations where the transmission line survey was finalised and pegging of the towers commenced. Overland HDPE piping package was also awarded.

Major equipment arriving on site includes crushers, thickener, CIL tank steel, steel framed sheds, structural steel, SAG mill shells. CIL tank installation underway.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Government of Burkina Faso 10 % Indirect
West African Resources Ltd. 90 % Indirect
Kiaka is 100%-owned by Kiaka SA, a company incorporated in Burkina Faso. Kiaka SA is 90%-owned by West African Resources Ltd., with the government of Burkina Faso owning the remaining 10%.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Sedimentary - Volcanogenic

Summary:

The project is located at the intersection of the Tenkodogo belt and the Markoye Fault Zone within Lower Proterozoic rocks of the Birimian Orogeny. Amphibole-rich mafic volcanic rocks are predominant in the lower (southern) portion of the deposit area, overlain by a sequence of clastic sediments. Several quartz-feldspar porphyritic sills intrude through the sequence at the northern end, the most significant of which is 90m thick, interpreted to be an important rheological barrier to gold mineralisation. At least two generations of postmineralisation mafic intrusions occur: steeply dipping, medium to coarse grained diorite dykes up to 80m wide, and fine grained dolerite dykes 2-3m wide, with well defined, sharp contacts. Structural patterns are the product of protracted northwest-southeast directed shortening, producing a major F2 antiform several hundred meters wide, that is thought to be a primary control on localisation of gold mineralisation, evidenced by steep northeasterly plunging mineralisation zones.

Gold mineralisation at Kiaka occurs within the subvertical southwest dipping Kiaka Shear Zone (KSZ), comprising an anastomosing network of ductile to brittle-ductile shears, localised along the axial surface of the Kiaka antiform. The KSZ ranges from 100-260m, with a strike length of approximately 2.3km. Gold mineralisation exhibits both disseminated and vein-related characteristics, and is spatially associated with fine grained disseminated pyrrhotite, lesser pyrite and race chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite. Higher gold grades are frequently associated with the presence of quartz, both as veins, and wall rock silicification.

Known mineralisation at Kiaka Main extends along strike for approximately 2km and consists of multiple broad lenses up to and in places exceeding 200m wide. Mineralisation has been drilled up to 600m in depth. At Kiaka South, mineralisation exists up to 500m strike and 200m deep and is less well developed in terms of overall continuity than the main zone. Individual lenses are up to 200m in strike and up to 35m wide. Mineralisation at both deposits remains open at depth.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

CommodityUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Gold koz 2194,059
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Total tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study / presentation.

Operating Costs

Currency2022
OP mining costs ($/t milled) USD 8 *  
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
G&A ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Sustaining CapEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
OP OpEx $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Processing OpEx $M USD 2,036
Refining costs $M USD  ......  Subscribe
G&A costs $M USD 381
Royalty payments $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax NPV @ 5% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 5% $M USD  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
Pre-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Jun 12, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 26, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 26, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 26, 2024

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2022

Aerial view:

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