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Mali
Loulo-Gounkoto Complex (Gounkoto Mine, Loulo Mine)

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 Location:
153 km S from Kayes, Mali

  Regional Office:
Faladié, 6448 Avenue de l’OUA BP E1160
Bamako
Mali
Phone+223-20-20-38-58
Fax+223-20-20-20-06
WebsiteWeb
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  • Overview
  • Owners
  • Geology
  • Mining
  • Processing
  • Production
  • Costs & Financials
  • Fleet
  • Personnel
  • Filings & News

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Overview

StageProduction
Mine TypeOpen Pit / Underground
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
  • Sub-level caving
  • Transverse stoping
  • Longitudinal retreat
Processing
  • Gravity separation
  • Concentrate leach
  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Carbon in leach (CIL)
  • Elution
  • Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
  • Cyanide (reagent)
Mine Life15 years (as of Jan 1, 2018)
Latest NewsBarrick Gold Corp.: Two Decades Of Value Delivery And Partnership In Mali     July 21, 2019


Owners

Source:
CompanyInterestOwnership
Government of Mali 20 % Indirect
Barrick Gold Corp. 80 % Indirect
Societe des Mines de Loulo SA 100 % Direct
Societe des Mines de Gounkoto 100 % Direct
Société des Mines de Loulo SA (Loulo) owns the Loulo gold mine and Société des Mines de Gounkoto (Gounkoto) owns the Gounkoto gold mine. Both Loulo and Gounkoto are owned by Barrick (80%) and the State of Mali (20%).

Deposit Type

  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork
  • Mesothermal

Source: Source p.71-84

Summary:

The Loulo and Gounkoto deposits can be classified as a typical shear hosted Birimian style mesothermal gold deposits.

The Loulo project area is characterised by a sequence of sandstone, limestones and greywackes which are truncated by three major north to NE trending shear zones. Two major mineralised bodies have been discovered within the Project area, Gara and Yalea. Several other satellite deposits are also present.

Yalea is located in a north-south striking, steeply dipping package of metasedimentary rocks. Host lithologies at Yalea (from west to east) comprise of quartzite/grey in the hanging wall, with tectonic breccias in the north. Immediately above the main body of mineralisation is thin (0 m to 5 m) sequence of banded schistose greyish limestone, with alternating white and grey calcitic layers and dark grey to black phyllite units. The main mineralised body is a hydrothermally brecciated argillaceous pink quartzite that becomes more argillaceous (and less altered) towards the footwall. A higher grade ‘Purple Patch’ zone is observed in a dilatational strain transfer zone formed as the dip of the mineralised package steepens forming hydraulic breccias. The footwall package is a thick sequence of argillaceous quartzite and black sandstone. This sedimentary package is intruded locally by thin (0.1 m to 2 m) acid intrusives of mostly granitic composition. The country rocks are also cross cut by a late EW dolerite dyke that is generally sub-horizontal, with a gentle southward plunge.

Gara is located 6 km NNW of the Yalea deposit and is hosted within 800 m long tourmaline sandstone/greywacke unit which outcrops on surface as black quartzite forming small (10 m) topographic highs. The host lithologies are (from west to east): chemical (limestone or carbonate altered) sediments and alternating argillitic and quarzitic bands (argillaceous quartzite or SQR) in the hanging wall, mineralised quartz tourmaline (QT) ranging from 5 m to 20 m thick (average 15 m) and a coarse to medium grained greywacke unit in the footwall. The sedimentary package is also cross cut by three unmineralised late EW dolerite sub-horizontal dykes that plunge shallowly from north to south.


Mining Methods

  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
  • Sub-level caving
  • Transverse stoping
  • Longitudinal retreat

Source: p.27-28

Summary:

The Loulo Permit are comprised of the Baboto open pit, Loulo 3 open pit, and the Gara West open pit. Baboto oxide and free dig transition ore is scheduled to be mined in 2018, however the rest of the Baboto open pit fresh ore and the other pits will be mined from 2024 onwards, after the larger Gounkoto open pit is depleted. The production from these pits has not been extensively detailed. Randgold intends to use the same contractor that has already mined part of the Baboto open pit, so the fleet requirement is known. The Loulo 3 open pit was mined previously in 2013 and the eastern push back forms the remaining Ore Reserve. Both Loulo 3 and Gara West open pits will use the same equipment as they are timed to be mined consecutively.

Gounkoto is an on-going operation that applies selective mining. Ore is classified as either Full Grade Ore (FGO), delivered to primary crushers, or Marginal Ore (MO), which is stockpiled close to the primary crushers, and blended with the FGO to provide a consistent feed grade. The Gounkoto mining plan has been sequenced in such a way that the south pit will be mined out in advance of the north pit. This will allow the waste mined from the north pit to be backfilled into the south pit resulting in a shorter haul than the conventional route of tramming out of the pit and onto a waste dump. This, however, means excess ore must be mined in 2019 and stockpiled to ensure the plant feed requirements are maintained during the waste pushback mining in years 2020 to 2022.

Open pit mining is conducted by the contractor Gounkoto Mining Services (GMS), a local subsidiary of DTP Terrassement, using either free-dig or conventional drill, blast, load, and haul methods.

The Yalea and Gara underground mines are currently operating and are accessed via portals located in open pits and a box cut. The declines were originally developed as twin declines. One decline containing a conveyor and the second decline is used for mobile equipment access. The lower part of the mines has been developed as single declines with truck haulage up to crushers which feed ore and waste onto the conveyors.

Three mining methods are used at the Yalea and Gara underground mines. They are long hole transverse open stoping; long hole longitudinal retreat open stoping; and stoping under rock fill (SURF). SURF mining is planned to be introduced in the weathered areas of Yalea South Upper.

The SURF method is planned for the portion of Yalea South Upper that has weathered transition or saprolite present in the mineralised zone, or the immediate hanging wall. The method will be used is expected to provide a more consistent production in the less competent ground.

From an operational perspective SURF is very similar to longitudinal sub level caving (SLC). The exception is that in SURF waste rock is tipped into the stope to fill mined voids and prevent caving of the hanging wall. In contrast SLC works by the hanging wall caving to fill the mined void.


Crushing and Grinding
Source: Source p.281-282


Processing

  • Gravity separation
  • Concentrate leach
  • Agitated tank (VAT) leaching
  • Carbon in leach (CIL)
  • Elution
  • Solvent Extraction & Electrowinning
  • Cyanide (reagent)

Flow Sheet: Source

Summary:

The Loulo processing plant uses a conventional carbon in leach (CIL) gold extraction process with a budget throughput in 2017 of 4.8 Mt, which is in line with the plant design capacity.

Since 2014 multiple optimisation projects have been undertaken, resulting in increased throughput and improved recoveries. It is expected that the improvement initiatives will continue but are considered part of operations and not necessarily confined to capital projects. The expected throughputs and recoveries are based on historical metallurgical testwork and the actual operational performance.

The upgraded process plant remains a conventional crushing, milling, gravity, CIL, and tailings disposal circuit. It will process an average of 580 tph using the following circuits:

• Crushing – three stage crushing for the hard rock sulphide ores and a single stage roll toothed crusher for the soft weathered oxide ores.
• Milling – one primary mill (7 MW); two identical single stage ball mills (4.5 MW), one scat conveyor system is inserted to return all mills scats back to primary mill via a cone crusher.
• Gravity - four centrifugal primary concentrators followed by two intensive leach reactors to treat primary concentrates.
• CIL recovery process.
• Zadra elution process.
• Electrowinning.
• Tailings pumping/deposition split between slime dam and paste plant.

Recoveries & Grades:

CommodityParameter20192018201720162015
Gold Recovery Rate, % 9292.392.79190.1
Gold Head Grade, g/t 4.94.3554.8

Production:

CommodityUnits202020192018201720162015
Gold koz 650 ^715660730707630
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré. ^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational Metrics:

Metrics20192018201720162015
Total tonnes mined 40,240 kt38,658 kt34,965 kt37,776 kt31,360 kt
Waste 33,979 kt
Stripping / waste ratio 9.97
Tonnes processed 4,226 kt5,154 kt4,918 kt4,875 kt4,543 kt
Ore tonnes mined 7,021 kt5,028 kt4,804 kt4,513 kt
Annual processing capacity 4.8 Mt

Reserves at :


Commodity Production Costs:

CommodityUnits20192018201720162015
Cash costs Gold USD 468 / oz 489 / oz 606 / oz
Total cash costs Gold USD 634 / oz
Total cash costs (sold) Gold USD 609 / oz 543 / oz 563 / oz 675 / oz
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold USD 886 / oz
All-in costs Gold USD 891 / oz

Operating Costs:

Units2019
OP mining costs ($/t mined) USD 3.28
UG mining costs ($/t mined) USD 57.6
Processing costs ($/t milled) USD 20.6

Financials:

Units20192018201720162015
Sustaining costs M USD 133  
Capital expenditures M USD 136  
Revenue M USD 806  844.22  911.45   881.53   724.17  
Operating Income M USD 190  247.47  363.61  
EBITDA M USD 426  


Heavy Mobile Equipment as of December 31, 2017:
Source: Source p.254
HME TypeModelSizeQuantityStatus
Backhoe Liebherr 970 8 cu. m 2 Proposed
Dozer (crawler) Caterpillar D9 9 Existing
Dozer (rubber tire) Caterpillar 834H 2 Existing
Drill Sandvik DD421 5 Existing
Drill 115 mm 2 Proposed
Drill 165 mm 2 Proposed
Drill Schramm T450B 1 Proposed
Drill Atlas Copco ROC L8 2 Existing
Drill Atlas Copco DM30 9 Existing
Drill Atlas Copco ROC L8 RC 1 Existing
Drill Atlas Copco SMARTROC60 6 Existing
Drill (long hole) Sandvik DL421 4 Existing
Excavator Liebherr EX9350 5 Existing
Excavator Liebherr EX9250 1 Existing
Excavator Komatsu PC800 1 Existing
Excavator Komatsu PC350 1 Existing
Excavator Caterpillar 390D 1 Existing
Excavator Caterpillar 336 1 Existing
Grader Komatsu GD850 1 Existing
Grader Caterpillar 16M 2 Existing
Loader Komatsu WA470 1 Existing
Loader Caterpillar 988 2 Existing
Loader Caterpillar 980K 1 Proposed
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD) Sandvik LH621i 11 Existing
Truck (dump) Volvo A45G 40 t 8 Proposed
Truck (haul) Volvo FMX 440 33 cu. m 5 Proposed
Truck (haul) Komatsu HD785 7 Existing
Truck (haul) Caterpillar 777D 14 Existing
Truck (haul) Caterpillar 777F 16 Existing
Truck (haul) Caterpillar 777G 1 Existing
Truck (underground) Sandvik TH663 11 Existing
Truck (water) Caterpillar 773 3 Existing

Mine Management:

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
General Manager Abbas Cheick Coulibaly LinkedIn Jul 24, 2020
Metallurgical Superintendent Lassine Diabate LinkedIn Jul 24, 2020
Mineral Resource Manager Sekou Diallo LinkedIn Jul 24, 2020
Mining / Technical Services Manager Chris Nyoni LinkedIn Jul 24, 2020
Mining Manager Coulibaly Adama Bouba LinkedIn Jul 24, 2020
Production Manager Moussa balla Magassouba LinkedIn Jul 24, 2020
Underground Mine Manager Cheick Sangare LinkedIn Jul 24, 2020

Staff:

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
2,097 2,463 4,560 2019
2,084 2,309 4,393 2018

Corporate Filings & Presentations:

DocumentYear
Annual Report 2019
Corporate Presentation 2019
Corporate Presentation 2019
Fact Sheet 2019
Other 2019
Press Release 2019
Quarterly Report 2018
Quarterly Report 2018
Annual Report 2017
Form 20-F 2017
Quarterly Report 2017
Technical Report 2017
Annual Report 2016
Project Description 2016
Corporate Presentation 2015
Project Description 2015

News:

NewsDate
Barrick Gold Corp.: Two Decades Of Value Delivery And Partnership In Mali July 21, 2019

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