At Agbaou, the target deposit type being explored for is the mesothermal auriferous sulphide (pyrite + pyrrhotite) and quartz vein style mineralization. The gold mineralization within Agbaou deposit is hosted within a specific quartz vein type that occurs along a broad area and can be characterized by a wide range of quartz-vein types, brecciation, boudinage, sericitic and carbonate alteration. The lateritic cover is generally between five and ten metres thick with a very well developed weathering profile is over much of the area. Mineralization at Agbaou can be broadly separated into two categories: laterite cap (generally >0.5g/t Au) and primary (free gold and sulphide hosted). The laterite cap, which covers the entire deposit area, is of variable thickness (1 to 5m) and represents secondary (re-mobilized) mineralization. The primary mineralization is associated with a system of gold bearing quartz-veins hosted by tightly folded Birimian-age sedimentary and volcanic rocks. The quartz veins can occur within either meta-volcanic or meta-sedimentary rocks, but the host rock is typically strongly sheared. The primary mineralized envelope is broad (60 to 100m), consisting of a number (up to seven zones in Agbaou Main) of mineralized zones that generally follow the limb of the regional fold. Particulate gold mineralization is located within quartz veins and along wall rock-quartz vein boundaries. The mineralized quartz veins at Agbaou have a visually distinctive texture that has been described as “mottled”. Gold mineralization is also associated with variable amounts of sulphides, mainly pyrrhotite and pyrite. These veins are easily identifiable in the diamond drilling core intersections from the fresh rock below the saprolite/fresh rock boundary. The deposits are aligned along a northeast trending, steeply southeast dipping structure that marks the axial plane of the large-scale, regional fold.

Contractor-based mining was the preferred option for Agbaou and BCM was the selected mining contractor. BCM is responsible for the site preparation (including removal of vegetation) haul road construction, excavation and haulage of ore to the Run of Mine (“ROM”) pad and waste to the waste dumps, oversize breakage and equipment maintenance.

The designed pits are split into three main areas; North, West and South Agbaou pits across predominantly oxide and fresh ore zones. Oxide ore requires very limited drilling and blasting, and transition ore is limited due to the approximately 10 m wide zone in which it occurs. All mining and associated activities are undertaken by a contractor, Corica.

The mining operating methodology used is open pit mining on 10.0 m benches and flitched off at 2.5 m increments including the heave from blasting. Waste is taken to the designated waste dumps adjacent to each of the pit stages. Later in the LOM plan, waste stripping will use 3.3 m flitches to maximize extraction of the waste.

The ramps are designed for the Caterpillar 777 haul trucks at 25.0 m widths and includes a 3.5 m wide safety berm and 1.0 m wide drain. The gradient has been designed at 10%.

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The process for the recovery of gold at Agbaou is a conventional free-milling CIL circuit consisting of crushing, two stage grinding, gravity recovery, cyanidation, followed by electrowinning and smelting to produce gold doré. Plant tailings are disposed to an engineered TSF located a few hundred metres from the process plant after cyanide destruction.

The basic plant flowsheet includes the following main areas:
• Primary and secondary crushing;
• Crushed ore storage and reclaim;
• SAG mill – open circuit with pebble crushing;
• Ball mill – closed circuit with cyclone classification;
• Gravity concentration;
• Intensive cyanide leaching of concentrate;
• CIL leaching;
• Elution circuit, electrowinning and gold smelting;
• Tailings pumping to disposal site;
• Including cyanide destruction;
• Reagent mixing, storage and distribution;
• Process, raw and potable water distribution;
• Air supply services including oxygen plants.

The gravity circuit treats a portion of the hydrocyclone underflow, after degritting at 2.5 mm, through a Knelson XD30 concentrator with the concentrate being leached in a Gekko Systems inline-leach-reactor (ILR) with a dedicated electrowinning cell. Historical gravity recovery is reported at approximately 30%, although some production reports indicate a range from 20% to 44%.

The coarse grit and the ILR tails are returned to the milling circuit for additional size reduction prior to the leach train.

Leaching follows trash removal at 0.7 mm x 18.0 mm through a vibrating screen. There are six 2,000 m3 CIL tanks resulting in a total leach time of 15 hours for saprolite ore and 29 hours for fresh ore due to higher density. The CIL tanks have Alloytech 0.833 mm wedge wire interstage screens. Carbon is pumped counter current with recessed impellor pumps, prior to transfer to the elution circuit. Final tailings safety screening is completed with a vibrating screen at 1.0 mm aperture.

The split AARL elution circuit consists of one rubber lined acid wash column and a separate stainless steel elution column with a capacity of 6.5 tonnes of carbon. Regeneration of carbon is completed in an electrically heated 350 kg/h rotary kiln. The regeneration kiln is located within the elution section with quenched carbon pumped to the last CIL tank with fine carbon removal by screening.

The gold room contains the ILR with two electrowinning cells (one for gravity and one for elution), each being 1.0 m x 1.0 m with 18 steel wool cathodes (expandable to 22 cathodes). Gold slimes are smelted on site into doré for final shipment to the refinery.

Cyanide detoxification is achieved in two tanks, offering a total residence time of two hours with the weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide content monitored continuously by analyser. Detoxified tailings are pumped to the unlined downstream constructed TSF for spigotting to encourage beaching. Recovered water is pumped back to the plant for reuse.

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