Deposit Types
According to classical classifications of magmatic nickel-copper-PGE sulphide deposits, the Samapleu deposits are interpreted to occur as sulphides concentration within a differentiated, ultramafic and mafic feeder dykes system of the layered Yacouba complex. These rare intrusion types are host to the largest Ni-Cu deposits in the world, such as Jinchuan or Kalatongke (China), Voisey's Bay or Eagles Nest (Canada), Kabanga (Tanzania), Eagle (USA) and N'komati (South Africa).

The Samapleu mineralization is part of an ultramafic sequence part of the Yacouba complex, rather than of the type associated with a gabbro assemblage.

Geological Setting and Mineralization
The project area is located in the eastern portion of the Archean West-African Craton (WAC) that is represented by two shields: Reguibat to the north and Man to the south. The Man shield is subdivided into a western domain, predominantly of Archean age (Kénéma-Man), and an east-central domain (Baoulé-Mossi) composed of Paleoproterozoic rocks.

The Project lies within the Kénéma-Man domain, which consists chiefly of Archean granulitic and migmatitic gneiss and relic supracrustal belts with mafic to ultramafic rocks and iron formation. In turn, the Kénéma-Man domain is separated in two, and the project is located in the granulitic and migmatitic rocks of the southern domain.

The Yacouba mafic and ultramafic Layered Complex of Eburnean age has intruded the older gneissic assemblage of the WAC. The Complex that was recently discovered by Sama can be traced discontinuously over 60 km along a NE-SW corridor. The Yacouba Complex is characterised by magmatic intrusions, prompting assimilation of the country rock creating a large complex predominantly composed of the resultant migmatite material with well-preserved pyroxenite, gabbro and anorthosite members (Figure 7.1). At the Samapleu deposit, the intrusive members appear as possible feeder dyke that vertically crosscuts the Archaean gneiss and granulite sequence.

The Yacouba complex was recognised by drill holes at the Samapleu Main, Samapleu Extension and Yorodougou locations. The Samapleu intrusion is interpreted to represent a magmatic conduit of the Yacouba complex.

The layered successions are the host of Ni-Cu sulphides (mainly pyrrhotite-pentlandite and chalcopyrite), disseminated Pt and Pd minerals and massive chromite layers. The mineralization is preferably hosted in pyroxenite, although local zones rich in sulphides were identified within the peridotite units. In addition, strong sulphide mineralization also occurs at the gabbro-norite contact of the main zone of Samapleu.

The mining method selected for the Project is a conventional open pit operation with off-highway haul trucks, hydraulic excavators, and wheel loaders.

The Project consists of three (3) separate pits (Pit A, Pit B, and Pit C) with one (1)waste dump designed close by to reduce haulage distance.

The mineralised material and waste rock will be loaded into off-highway haul trucks with excavators and/or wheel loader.

To properly manage water infiltration into the pits, sumps will be established at the lowest point of each pit floor. Water collected in the sumps will be pumped to a collection point at surface.

Samapleu mineralised material, contained into three (3) pits, are intended to be mined by surface operations. It is estimated that approximately 44.42Mt of mineralised material is extractable over a 20-year mine life.

The mine will operate year-round, seven (7) days per week, twenty-four (24) hours per day (2 shifts, 12 hours each). Since the mill will operate seven (7) days per week, a run of mine stockpile will be maintained to provide a constant supply of feed to the crusher with a minimum of one (1) month of production capacity. During the days when the mine is not operating (for technical or weather reasons), the crusher will be fed by the front-end loader from the stockpile or with a production truck. The mine fleet requirements and manpower are based on this work schedule.

Mine Design Engineering (MDEng) issued a scoping level review summarised in the Report #18022-104 Feasibility level site characterisation, Geotechnical Scoping Study for Samapleu Ni-Cu-PGE project, dated March 21, 2019.

Based on MDEng's recommendations for bench slopes, DRA/Met-Chem used a high wall slope within the unweather rock of 55° for the final pit walls. The recommended bench heights of 8m and a bench face angle (BFA) of 65°.

The ramps and haul roads were designed with an overall width of 21.7 m. For double lane traffic, industry practice indicates the running surface width to be a minimum of 2.5 times the width of the largest truck. The overall width of a 55-tonne off-highway haul truck is 5.39 m which results in a running surface of 12.22 m. The allowance for berms and ditches increases the overall haul road width to 21.7 m. A maximum ramp grade of ten (10) % was used.

A production schedule (mine plan) was developed for the Project to produce 39,960 tonnes of nickel concentrate per year. Using a variable mill recovery from 70.00% a targeted concentrate grade of 10% results in an average run of mine feed of 2.3 Mt per year (6,508 t/d) at an average diluted grade of 0.244% Ni.

A year of pre-production phase has been planned to achieve the following objectives:
• Clear vegetation and topsoil;
• Supply road construction material;
• Supply construction material for the tailings dyke;
• Strip overburden and waste rock to expose the mineralisation.

The schedule produces 27,972 tonnes of concentrate in the first year of production which accounts for a plant ramp-up. The mine plan has been developed by advancing several benches concurrently. An average of 13,743 tonnes of material will be mined each day during the 20-year mine life.

- subscription is required.

The mineral processing plant consists of a crushing area and a concentrator where comminution, beneficiation, desulphurisation, dewatering, and product load out take place.

The process is designed to produce 118 dry metric tonnes per day of nickel concentrate at 10.34% Ni grade, from ore containing 0.24%Ni. Copper concentrate will also be produced as a saleable product. To achieve this concentrate target, the process flowsheet includes crushing, grinding, rougher flotation, and cleaner flotation. The back end of the concentrator includes tailings and concentrate thickening, concentrate filtration, and material handling.

The Potential Acid Generating tailings from the concentrator will be filtered by a filter press and stacked outside the concentrator area. The Non-Acid Generating tailings from the concentrator will be thickened and pumped to the tailings pond. Reclaiming water from the tailings pond has been considered in the process design to minimise fresh wate ........