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 s ........

Taparko plant is a central point for the existing and future open pits. Mining operations at Taparko are focused around multiple pits, namely: 35, 2N2K, Goengo, Tangarsi East, Bouroum, Bissinga, Grand Trench and Nayiri. The main pits would include 35 and 2N2K which are both located in the nearest vicinity to the plant. Production is undertaken through conventional drilling, blasting, loading, hauling, dumping and stockpiling processes. Open Pit Geotechnical Considerations The Taparko mining complex is formed from a number of small to medium size pits of varying maturity. The smaller pits generally mine oxide only, while the larger pits mine oxide and sulphide and are primarily excavated within fresh rock. The Taparko and Bouroum mining complexes exhibit differing geological conditions. Bouroum is formed within gabbros, basalts (varying states of alteration) and tuffs, while Taparko is formed within meta-sediments, meta-volcanics and granodiorite. Overburden slopes are formed from Saprolite that ranges in thickness but is in general approximately 25 m thick and can be considered soil strength with the presence of remnant structures that can lead to instability issues. The underlying fresh rock can be considered as Strong and with RMR values in the region of 55-65 with a very dominant foliation dipping at approximately 45° to the east. The pits have been designed based on the geotechnical parameters. The ramps have been designed at a gradient of 10% at 15-24 m width (d ........

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