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Burkina Faso

Taparko Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusTemporary Suspension
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotThe Taparko complex comprises several assets: Taparko and Bouroum mines. The Taparko mine includes a process plant, six open pits and a planned underground mine.

In April 2022, the management has decided to close Taparko mine due to the deteriorating security situation in the part of Burkina Faso where the operation is located.

SOMITA SA, the direct owner of Taparko, held a meeting with the Burkina Faso Minister of Energy, Mines, and Quarries, Simon-Pierre Boussim, on June 26, 2023 where presented their plan to reopen the SOMITA mine.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Government of Burkina Faso 10 % Indirect
Skygold Resources LLC 90 % Indirect
SOMITA SA (operator) 100 % Direct
The mine is operated by Société des Mines de Taparko S.A. (“Somita”), a company 90% owned indirectly by Nord Gold plc, with the remaining 10% interest held by the Burkina Faso government.

The management of the Nordgold group has left the shareholding of the Taparko Mining Company (SOMITA). The shares have been transferred to Skygold Resources, a limited liability company (LLC) under Malian law.

Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein

Summary:

The Taparko gold mine is located along the eastern portion of the Proterozoic Birimian Bouroum-Yalogo Greenstone Belt. The belt has undergone regional lower greenschist metamorphism and is comprised of intermediate to mafic volcano-sedimentary successions with syn to post-kinematic granite and gabbro intrusions, which have been intruded by later dolerite and felsic-porphyry rocks.

Structural patterns in the area depict a large open Y-shape resulting from interference of NNW and NNE trending faults and shear zones. The most distinctive structural feature of this area is the NE trending Tiebele-Dori-Markoye fault system (and Bouroum NNW trending deformation corridor), which act as hosts to regional gold mineralisation. Primary and secondary structures associated the fault system result in mineralisation occupying both NE and NW trending features.

The Taparko deposits are situated on the eastern limb of the Y-shaped Bouroum-Yalogo greenstone belt, hosted by volcano-sedimentary rocks such as amphibolitic schists, mafic lavas, pyroclastics, and argillaceous sediments, all of which have been intruded by large bodies of diorite or quartz-diorite, and by diabase dykes.

The Bouroum and Yeou deposits are situated on the western limb of the Bouroum-Yalogo greenstone belt. The geology of the Bouroum and Yeou areas are characterised by clastic metasedimentary rocks intercalated with minor mafic tholeitic flows and sills and overlain by a thick series of subaqueous flows and tholeitic sills with intercalated, epiclastic and pyroclastic rocks. Metapelites, ferruginous quartzite and finally andesitic to dacitic volcanic rocks cap the older stratigraphy.

Gold mineralisation at the Taparko, Bouroum and Yeou deposits is predominately (sulphidepoor) quartz-vein hosted and controlled by shear-related veining and alteration.

At Taparko, gold mineralisation is developed in predominantly sediment-hosted structures, comprising anastomosing and shallow to steeply dipping shear zones, exhibiting multiple, superimposed, phases of veining, alteration and deformation. At Bouroum gabbro, basalts and tuffs (and notably their sheared contacts) represent typical host rocks, with metagabbro and granodiorite forming typical hosts at Yeou.

In general, across all deposits, the weathering profile is deep and typically results in extensive surface oxidation of bedrock to depths of up to approximately 100 m. In such areas, gold deposits typically comprise a surface oxide zone, an intermediate transition zone and a deeper fresh rock zone.

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

CommodityUnits2021202020192018201720162015
Gold koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe6810210811183
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational metrics

Metrics202020192018201720162015
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe14.1 17.5 12.8 9.13 19.1
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe1,545 kt1,347 kt1,407 kt1,994 kt987 kt
Waste  ....  Subscribe21,732 kt23,515 kt18,053 kt
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe23,277 kt24,862 kt19,461 kt
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe1,920 kt1,974 kt1,662 kt1,636 kt1,657 kt

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2020201920182017
Total cash costs Gold USD  ....  Subscribe 1,390 / oz **   791 / oz **   867 / oz **  
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold USD  ....  Subscribe 1,844 / oz **   1,307 / oz **   1,032 / oz **  
** Net of By-Product.

Operating Costs

Currency20202019201820172016
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Financials

Units20212020201920182017
Capital expenditures M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 39.6   60.1   18.4  
Sustaining costs M USD  ....  Subscribe 30.8   52.7   16  
Revenue M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 96.7   129.8   135.7  
EBITDA M USD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 2.5   48.8   40  
Operating Cash Flow M USD

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Aug 4, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Aug 4, 2023

EmployeesYear
...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required 2020
...... Subscription required 2019
...... Subscription required 2018
...... Subscription required 2017
...... Subscription required 2016
...... Subscription required 2015

Aerial view:

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