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AFRICA

Environmental and social manager Ndeye
Oumy Thiam inspects some of the flora
which is being studied at Diamba Sud

credentials, Grove does not expect the financing process to be Diamba Sud is subject to the same process.
too challenging. Chesser has also committed to ramping up its community
“Given my experience, what the banks typically look at is how engagement programmes within the nearby Gamba-Gamba
quickly they can get their money back – because time is a risk village. While initiatives to date have included the construction
for them – and is there enough tail in the project to support any of a new access bridge and medical centre, Grove said other
difficulties around the ramp up and whatnot,” he said. projects such as the market garden represented the company’s
“Our payback is very rapid and the first two years is very long-term commitment to the region.
low risk because it’s oxide material near surface with great “We’re evolving that engagement…it’s not just about building
continuity. I think the banks would see this as a fairly simple monuments, it’s about getting the community involved,” he
exercise.” said.
One factor which appears to also be on Chesser’s side is “The market garden is an important one for us. We know
strong support across all levels of government in Senegal. we’re going to be here for a long time so we’re giving them the
Grove has no doubt the past experience of Connelly and opportunity to produce food for not only their families but to
Thera in permitting the Mako mine will prove invaluable when also generate some commerce from selling stuff back to us,

There is no better example of Senegal’s ability to stand

tall amongst giants than the 2002 FIFA World Cup

n the opening match of the tournament, Senegal upset pair scoured the uninhabited land that would one day be
Idefending champions France before embarking on acquired by Chesser Resources Ltd and become known as
an incredible run to the quarter-finals and creating the the Diamba Sud gold project.
opportunities of a lifetime for the 23 players who proudly In fact, it was Diao who came up with the idea to package the
wore the “Lions of Teranga” kit. ground and entice an Australian explorer to firm up whether
One of those players was Salif Diao, who was subsequently the rocks had the potential to one day become a gold mine.
signed by Liverpool for £5 million. The defensive-midfielder “Being from Senegal and from a gold mining area, I thought it
remained in the English Premier League for much of the next would make sense for me to start investing in my hometown,”
decade, also suiting up for Birmingham City, Portsmouth Diao told GMJ on site in November, just hours before the
and Stoke City, before hanging up his international football Senegalese national team kicked off their 2022 FIFA World
boots after 39 appearances and four goals for his beloved Cup campaign.
Senegal.
“Usually, people just see it as an opportunity of investing and
Born in Kedougou, Diao spent much of his youth “licking earning money, but for me, it’s more than that. I’ve known this
rocks” with his prospecting father. On many occasions, the area since I was a kid and I wanted to be able to tell young

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