Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Open Pit |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 2027 |
The IAMGOLD completed a study to assess the viability of the Essakane heap leach project. The test results suggested that stockpiled ore can be processed through the CIL circuit economically and as a result the IAMGOLD will not be pursuing the heap leach project. The IAMGOLD is planning to include the results of the study in an updated NI 43-101 compliant technical report that will be filed in the first half of the year. |
Source:
p. 11,18,114
Company | Interest | Ownership |
Government of Burkina Faso
|
10 %
|
Indirect
|
IAMGOLD Corp.
|
90 %
|
Indirect
|
Essakane S.A.
(operator)
|
100 %
|
Direct
|
IamGold owns 90% of the outstanding shares of IMG Essakane, while the Government of Burkina Faso has a 10% free-carried interest in the outstanding shares of IMG Essakane. IMG Essakane means IamGold Essakane S.A., the Company’s 90% subsidiary, established under the laws of Burkina Faso.
Contractors
- Subscription is required.
Deposit Type
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- Orogenic
- Vein / narrow vein
- Hydrothermal
Summary:
Essakane is situated in the Paleoproterozoic Oudalan-Gorouol greenstone belt in northeast Burkina Faso. The local stratigraphy can be subdivided into a succession of lower-greenschist facies meta- sediments (argillites, arenites and volcaniclastics), conglomerate and subordinate felsic volcanics, and an overlying Tarkwaian-like succession comprised of siliciclastic meta-sediments and conglomerate. Each succession contains intercalated mafic intrusive units that collectively comprise up to 40% of the total stratigraphic section.
The region preserves evidence for at least two regional deformational events. D1 structural elements such as the Essakane host anticline are refolded by a series of North-Northeast-trending F2 folds. Later localized deformation occurs near the margin of a calc-alkaline batholith in the south of Essakane. The Markoye fault trends North-Northeast through the western portion of Essakane and separates the Paleoproterozoic rocks from an older granite-gneiss terrane to the west.
The Korizéna prospect is situated approximately 10 kilometres west of the Essakane deposit and is the southern continuity of the Gossey deposit. Both have similar geology.
The geology of the Gossey deposit includes sequences of detrital sedimentary rocks (quartz-arenites, quartz- feldspathic sandstones, fine to microconglomeratic lithic sandstones with polygenic clasts, lithic sandstones with pelitic fragments, greywackes, argillites/ graphitic siltstones) interbedded with igneous ........

Summary:
Mining is carried out using a conventional drill, blast, load, and haul surface mining method with an owner fleet. The mining plans are limited to the Essakane main pit and its Gorouol satellite pit.
The Falagountou, Wafaka, EMZ North satellite pits that provided additional ore and operational flexibility are currently mined out. The North satellite pit is currently being used as a reservoir while the Wafaka and Falagountou pits are currently undergoing final closure studies.
Various ore stockpiles, sorted per type (saprolite, transition, or fresh rock) and grade (marginal, low, and high grade), are located to the west of the main pit, just north of the primary crusher. Water runoff from the ore stockpiles and WRDs is collected in ditches and diverted to catchment basins where the runoff is pumped to one of the bulk water storage reservoirs near the TSF. Other mining infrastructure includes a mine office complex (mine offices, change houses, and canteens), an equipment workshop with overhead cranes integrated with the main warehouse, external wash bays, a blasting and explosives compound, including magazines, a diesel storage and dispensing facility, and a drill core storage facility.
Source:

- subscription is required.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:

- subscription is required.
Production:
Commodity | Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Gold
|
koz
| ...... ^ | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | 450 | 432 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
- Subscription is required.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Annual processing capacity
| ......  | ......  | 11.7 Mt | 10.8 Mt | 10.8 Mt | |
Stripping / waste ratio
| ......  | ......  | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 3 |
Ore tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | 15,762 kt | 17,702 kt | 13,866 kt | 11,811 kt |
Waste
| ......  | ......  | 39,479 kt | 38,605 kt | 36,825 kt | 35,697 kt |
Total tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | 55,241 kt | 56,307 kt | 50,691 kt | 47,508 kt |
Tonnes milled
| ......  | ......  | 12,439 kt | 13,373 kt | 13,031 kt | 13,891 kt |
- Subscription is required.
Reserves at December 31, 2022:
Essakane Mineral Reserves have been estimated using a $1300/oz gold price and Mineral Resources have been estimated using a $1500/oz gold price.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
21,413 kt
|
Gold
|
0.7 g/t
|
464 koz
|
Probable
|
31,858 kt
|
Gold
|
1.6 g/t
|
1,597 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
53,270 kt
|
Gold
|
1.2 g/t
|
2,061 koz
|
Measured
|
34,282 kt
|
Gold
|
0.6 g/t
|
607 koz
|
Indicated
|
52,945 kt
|
Gold
|
1.3 g/t
|
2,247 koz
|
Inferred
|
2,318 kt
|
Gold
|
1.4 g/t
|
107 koz
|
Type | Material | Diameter | Length | Description |
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
- Subscription is required.
- Subscription is required.