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Tietto rises to in Zambia) and other finalists
EcoGraf Ltd (graphite in Tan-
zania) and RosCan Gold Corp
(gold in Mali).
Despite only listing on the
the challenge ASX less than two years ago, Ti-
etto is rapidly advancing the 2.15
moz Abujar gold project in Cote
d’Ivoire towards a PFS due for
f you can’t have fun while being serious, why completion before the end of the year.
Ibother? Drilling was ongoing at the time of print
That was the approach Tietto Minerals Ltd ahead of an anticipated resource upgrade in
executive director Mark Strizek took into the Q3 2020.
third annual Investment Battlefield for junior “It’s just a great simple story,” Strizek said. Tietto executive director Mark Strizek
mining companies – and it paid off in spades. “I guess the key takeaway for us [from Min- celebrates his company’s win in the
In a hotly contested final round decided by ing Indaba] was that people just really appre- Investment Battlefield final after receiving
a panel of expert judges, West African gold ciate good high-grade gold stories in West the trophy from Eurasian Resource
explorer Tietto emerged victorious from the Africa.” Group’s Jonathan Cordero
investment “boxing ring” which has become Tietto currently has four company-owned
of one of the conference’s signature events. diamond drill rigs turning at Abujar, with a time comes to look at project finance – that’s
“It was a lot of fun and has actually been fifth recently ordered and due to arrive on probably the biggest piece we need to put
quite useful in getting some recognition and site imminently. in place in terms of long-lead items – we’re
just generally increasing the profile of the Multiple samples have also been sent to ready to go.
company,” Strizek told Paydirt. Perth for metallurgical testing and optimi- “It’s still early days, but at this stage it’s
“There have been a number of follow-up sation work. Results will be incorporated all very, very encouraging and there doesn’t
emails and so on that have resulted out of it, into upcoming studies on the project, about appear to be any red flags en route to de-
so we’re really quite chuffed.” 30km from the regional city of Daloa. velopment.”
The final-round judging panel – Investec “We’ve started working on some of the
Asset Management’s George Cheveley, environmental and long-lead items which – Michael Washbourne
Public Investment Corp’s Heidi Sternberg, aren’t always as high profile or as interesting
Traxys Projects managing director Erez to investors, but they’re pretty important for Paydirt visited the Abujar gold project in Cote
Ichilov and Eurasian Resource Group’s Jon- us,” Strizek said. d’Ivoire with Tietto Minerals following Mining
athan Cordero – declared Tietto the winner “We want to build a mine, so we’re put- Indaba. For full coverage, see the April-June edition
over first runner-up Arc Minerals Ltd (copper ting all of these things in place so when the of our sister publication Gold Mining Journal

aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT MaRCH 2020 Page 41