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“Our understanding of the complex structural systems controlling But the number of new cases started receding from August
mineralisation on Tchaga and Tchaga North is increasing and with the current average daily rate of new cases below 2,000
suggests that we may have to alter our drilling directions in order and recovery rate at 89%, Ramaphosa said.
to intersect the “sweet spot” of the interpreted high-grade shoots The President also eased the overnight curfew on the
in further drilling,” Mako managing director Peter Ledwidge said, movement of people and increased the limit on social, religious
“In certain areas where we intersected modest gold and political gatherings to 50% of the capacity of a venue,
mineralisation, we believe that we may be on the edge of one of allowing 250 people for indoor gatherings and 500 people for
the high-grade plunging mineralised shoots. Our geologists on outdoors.
the ground have not yet finished logging the 14 diamond holes Recreation and fitness centres have also been allowed with
and once the core is logged, split and the assays received, we 50% capacity, although sporting events are still restricted.
should be able to adapt our drilling directions to increase our
– Reuters
chances of intersecting the high-grade mineralised shoots.
“We are also looking forward to the commencement of the
IP geophysical survey on Gogbala so that we can launch a fOrMal GOld sectOr tO shaPe
significant drill programme on the Gogbala prospect to follow- niGeria’s fOrtunes
up on our positive 2018 drilling results.”
Nigeria aims to have 50 mines in operation by 2023 and can
make up for time lost because of the impact of COVID-19
on development of the nascent sector, the country’s mining
minister said in an interview.
Africa’s largest oil producer is banking on mining to diversify
its income and revive its finances following a collapse in crude
prices, which earlier this year hit two-decade lows.
“The pandemic has slowed things down, but we can still catch
up,” Minister of Mines Olamilekan Adegbite said.
Nigeria hopes mining will grow tenfold in five years to account
for 3% of the economy. The Government is confident it will also
build its downstream processing capabilities. In particular, he
said Nigeria aimed to process barite, used in drilling for oil and
gas, and sell it to countries such as Ghana and South Africa,
which need the mineral to exploit new oil discoveries.
A 10,000m RC and diamond drilling programme remains In common with other African countries, Nigeria is also seeking
ongoing at Mako’s Napie project, Cote d’Ivoire to formalise artisanal mining, which could generate tax and
royalties from gold.
sa tO OPen bOrders Adegbite said Nigeria was encouraging small-scale miners
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the country to form cooperatives and sell at government-buying centres,
would open its international borders selectively for travel where prices are closer to global values than those offered by
and tourism from October 1, bringing much needed relief to illegal buyers.
a sector largely dependent on high-spending foreign tourists. A problem for Nigeria is that its gold lies mostly in the north-
The easing of travel restrictions is part of the President’s west, where, humanitarian organisations say, mining has
announcement to shift the country to the lowest level of helped to fuel violence attributed to armed groups.
coronavirus lockdown in a five-level system from September Adegbite said security had improved and buying centres would
21. stop artisanal miners dealing with criminals: “By weaning them
“We will be allowing travel into and out of South Africa for off the illegal people and [making] sure they sell to government-
business, leisure and other travel with effect from 1 October approved centres, you take off that linkage.”
2020,” the President said in a televised address. He also expects more commercial gold miners to be attracted
Travel may be restricted to and from countries that have once Thor Explorations Ltd’s gold mine in Nigeria’s south-
high infection rates and based on travellers meeting certain west starts producing. Its first gold is expected in the second
conditions, he added. quarter of 2021.
The announcement comes after six months of imposing one Malte Liewerscheidt, vice president of London-based risk
of the strictest lockdowns in the world which hit the continent’s consultancy Teneo Intelligence, said the plans were likely to be
most industrialised nation hard, setting its economy back by undermined by “structural challenges pertaining to insecurity
13 years and pushing millions more into unemployment in a and infrastructure deficiencies”.
country where almost a third of the workforce was already – Paul Carsten, Reuters
jobless.

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