Page 40 - pd296-August21-mag-web

AFRIcA DoWn UnDeR PReVIeW

wAf gets Sanbrado humming

f ever there was a time for limiting ho- duction guidance of 250-280,000oz at vention and Hyde said the advantages
Irizons and focusing on immediate con- AISC of $US720-800/oz. of committing to extensive training pro-
cerns, now could be it for West African Hyde said while open pit and plant grammes were becoming obvious to
Resources Ltd (WAF). operations had been steady throughout company and community.
The company has undergone a re- 2021, he was particularly pleased to see “There has certainly been an increase
markable journey from junior explorer to development and production pace lift at in productivity from the workforce, and
200,000 ozpa producer in just four years M1 South underground. we are really seeing the benefit of the
but with ramp-up continuing, debt to pay “The underground has been ramping training programmes we have put in
down and the M&A temperature cool, ex- up, producing more tonnes and we ex- place,” he said.
ecutive chairman Richard Hyde is happy pect the grade to improve throughout the “We had a two-year strategy to train
for WAF to be introspective. next two quarters,” he said. locals for key positions within the mine.
“The focus this year is on maximising While productivity was up, the compa- These are positions at start-up where
cash flow to pay down debt,” Hyde told ny was also developing a deeper under- you need experienced expats but after
Paydirt. “I think the global pandemic standing of the M1 South orebody itself. 12 months can be done by trained local
has put a dampener on M&A as travel is “We are definitely still learning about staff. They are unique roles in open-pit
hard, making it difficult to review projects it,” Hyde said. “We are producing more and underground mining and that is why
so our focus is on getting the operation gold than we planned, from outside the having Australians who are experienced
performing, paying down debt and get- original reserve.” in these roles – whether from WAF or our
ting on with organic growth opportuni- Underground drilling efficiencies have mining contractors, Perenti or Byrnecut –
ties.” also improved after the company brought is so important.
Achieving the first element will lead to in a Cubex underground RC rig for grade “I think the community is beginning
realising the other two and in this regard control drilling. to understand what we are trying to
Hyde can be happy with where WAF “In the first few quarters of production achieve. Chatting with the Byrnecut train-
finds itself. there were some areas where the ore- ing manager recently, when we started
A production update ahead of the June body was different to our interpretation the underground there were zero skills
quarterly report showed the company’s from the resource drilling. To finesse that available to operate underground equip-
Sanbrado gold mine in Burkina Faso we had to do extra work. The Cubex rig ment and trucks. Now, we have 12 local
posted another period of record produc- will allow for more detailed grade control truck drivers, seven of which are female,
tion with 63,610oz produced at a grade drilling within the orebody allowing better that is a first in Burkina Faso.”
of 2.9 g/t and recoveries of 84%. stope definition.” The effect of increased production and
Open pit production was steady at Productivity levels have also benefited greater productivity is beginning to be
738,000oz @ 1.6 g/t mined from the M5, from improved performance among the shown on the WAF balance sheet. The
M1 South and M1 North open pits but the underground workforce. Inside a dec- company has made several voluntary re-
real sweetener came with improved num- ade Burkina Faso has risen to be one of payments on its project debt facility with
bers from the M1 South underground West Africa’s most prolific gold-produc- Taurus Funds Management in the last
mine where production was up 116% ing countries, but the rapid ascent has four months, allowing it to keep ahead of
from the March quarter. The high-grade meant the mining talent pool has been schedule.
underground mine produced 103,550t unable to match demand. “We paid Taurus $US51 million in Q2
@ 10.1 g/t for 22,480oz the June period, WAF was tied to training and locali- 2021. We started the year with $US175
putting WAF on track to hit its 2021 pro- sation policies through its mining con- million in debt and finished the June

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