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COVER

Following Fekola: Bankan’s

predictable path

In 2012, Mali-focused Papillon
Resources was crowned the GMJ
Explorer of the Year for the remarkable
find that was Fekola. Somewhat
fittingly, the West African discovery
which is now being compared to it
has taken out this year’s award.

by Michael Washbourne

Justin Osborne

redictive Discovery Ltd was unanimously recognised by gold operations in West Africa.
Pthe expert panel of judges as the runaway leader in a very Respected geologist Justin Osborne said Bankan was easily
competitive field of exploration success. Plaudits were also the best discovery in the region since Fekola, with the Matador
handed out to the company for delivering a maiden resource Mining Ltd and Hamelin Gold Ltd director also marvelling at the
estimate of 3.65 moz @ 1.56 g/t gold for its Bankan project in technical excellence of Predictive’s exploration team.
Guinea just 17 months after the discovery hole was drilled.
“I think it’s absolutely the best discovery I’ve seen in West Africa
At a 1 g/t cut-off grade and using the same resource modelling, in 10 years,” Osborne said.
Bankan’s total ounces stand at 2.82 moz @ 2.29 g/t gold. By
“It goes with what they talk about; predictive discoveries. They
comparison, Fekola’s maiden resource contained 3.9 moz @ 1.7
went in on a pure greenfields target and made a discovery. It’s an
g/t gold using a 0.5 g/t cut-off grade and 3.1 moz @ 2.4 g/t gold
outstanding piece of detective work. And on top of that, it’s in a
using a 1 g/t cut-off.
jurisdiction which is not easy.
Papillon was acquired by B2Gold Corp in 2014 and Fekola was
“It demonstrates perseverance, it demonstrates technical
subsequently developed into a plus-400,000 ozpa production
excellence and it demonstrates an element of serendipity which
juggernaut and often serves as the posterchild for many future
you always need in good discovery.”
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