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REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Chesser

makes first

move

by Dominic Piper
Chesser managing director Andrew Grove at the 2021 Africa
Down Under conference
maiden resource on its Diamba Sud gold project could set
A Chesser Resources Ltd on the path to emulating several peers changed the wording to declare an emerging discovery at KB West,
in the West African region. 5km north-west of our tenement boundary, in its last quarterly.”
The resource statement, announced on November 16, comprised Barrick has already defined a plus-1km strike length at Kabewest
8.8mt @ 1.9 g/t gold for 538,000oz gold (indicated) and 6.4mt @ 1.2 with intercepts including 69.3m @ 2.27 g/t gold (including 24m @
g/t for 243,000oz (inferred). A high-grade component (using a 1.5 g/t 4.37 g/t), 45m @ 2.34 g/t (including 21m @ 3.56 g/t), 45m @ 2.16
cut-off) contained 493,000oz @ 3 g/t gold. g/t (including 22m @ 3.36 g/t) and 50.7m @ 2.2 g/t (including 9.7m
@ 3.85 g/t).
Chesser managing director Andrew Grove told Paydirt TV the
resource confirmed Diamba Sud – on the Senegal side of the “Diamba Sud is the same rocks, same alteration system, and
Mali-Senegal shear zone belt – had all the hallmarks of an easily is structurally similar,” Grove said. “So, the region is evolving to
developed project. potentially host world-class discoveries.”
“It is the culmination of 16 months of work since we found the oxide To confirm that potential, Chesser will immediately set about
component of Area D in mid-2020,” Grove said. “There has been a lot producing a scoping study for the project this year. Grove is
of effort by the team and the 781,000oz is a quality, robust resource. confident the scoping investigation will prove fruitful.
“It is near-surface and there is lots of high-grade in amongst that. “The metrics should lead to an economic project,” he said.
It has a lot of merits which lay down the foundations for a future “Mineralisation is shallow – 75% of the resource is within 135m –
development.” there is a favourable 3:1 strip ratio, 40% of the material is oxide, and
it averages 96% recovery.
Chesser’s rapid progress and low-cost resource definition – the
resource came at an average cost of $11/oz – highlights the quality “There are no impediments on site, no competing land uses, and it
of the project in front of the company. While Senegal has several is close to highway and water sources. It is also a very supportive
operating mines – including Sabodala-Massawa (Endeavour mining jurisdiction in Senegal, I think all of that will come together
Mining Corp) and Toro (Resolute Mining Ltd) – the country has seen in a scoping study and represent a compelling prospect for
little of the extensive exploration witnessed in neighbouring Mali. development.”
Grove believes Chesser, and others, can change that. Chesser plans to pursue the scoping study in parallel with continued
exploration as it builds the development case for Diamba Sud.
“It is a highly prospective
region which is coming to “We are doing a two-pronged attack,” Grove said. “There is enough
bear fruit now,” he explained. there already for a modest-scale development, we believe. But we
“On the Malian side of the also believe there are some easy opportunities to grow the resource
border, this shear zone hosts base.
Loulo-Gounkoto [6.7 moz The resource is contained within two pit shells covering the Area A
reserves, 11 moz resource] and Area D prospects. Grove said both areas showed potential for
owned by Barrick [Gold Corp]. extensions.
The Senegal side has been A 3,000m programme away from the resource area – targeting
historically less well explored, zones of historical ore grade intercepts – has already been
through an idea that it was on completed with results expected at the time of print. A follow-up
the footwall of the shear zone 20,000m programme is planned to start this month, along with
[making it less prospective. early-stage work on the Diamba Nord project.
“That model is moving away
and we are getting a lot more
Watch the full video on Paydirt TV
Chesser is in good company attention on the Senegal side.
It on either side of the Mali- is similar or the same host
Senegal shear belt rocks. Barrick is very keen and

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