West Africa about to be a world leader in gold production

BME presents its African presence, expertise and technology at Investing in African Mining African Indaba 2019, where it will also highlight its enhanced presence in West Africa..

The region is on the brink of becoming one of the five largest gold producing regions of the world.

"The atmosphere is even brighter than in previous years," said Michael Klaasen, BME's general manager for operations in West Africa.

"Almost all countries in this region have vast mineral reserves that are not being exploited, making it a very lucrative region for foreign investment."

Klaasen said it was encouraging that many West African governments were trying to make their mining charters easier to comply with – a step that would further encourage investment in minerals.

Governance and political instability remain constant challenges, and illegal mining has increased in the region in the past two years, he said.

A
division of the Omnia group, listed on the JSE, BME manufactures explosives in emulsion
factories in the region and supplies the mines and quarries with
number of countries.

"We will have eight emulsion plants in West Africa by the end of the first quarter of 2019, following the commissioning of a new plant at the Endeavor Mining mine in Ity, Côte d'Ivoire. ", did he declare.

This contract was awarded in October 2018. He indicated that Côte d'Ivoire had considerable mineral potential, with significant occurrences of gold, diamonds, iron, nickel, cobalt , copper, manganese and bauxite.

"As in most countries in West Africa, gold has been at the forefront of exploration," he said.

"Among the companies doing exploration there are Teranga Gold Corporation, which is investing $ 11 million in exploration for four prospects, and Perseus Mining in their Sissingué project, Red Rock with three prospects, RandGold, Taurus Gold, Endeavor Mining and Newcrest Mining. "

BME received the Riverstone Karma project in Burkina Faso in 2017 and completed the commissioning of its B2Gold Fekola mine plant in Mali.

He added that the company hoped to test at other operations in early 2019 in Mali, the country that remains the most active BME in West Africa.

"There are three possible deposits – all located in Kenieba province – that could be developed in the near future," he said.

"These are the gold deposits of Tintinba, Kandiole South and Siribaya."

In
Burkina Faso, the fourth largest gold producer in Africa, BME also provides
a large number of small quarries; there are 22 operating mines in the country
and a significant number of exploration licenses have been issued in recent years.
year.

"Considerable exploration activity is underway in Burkina Faso, undertaken by mining companies such as Newcrest, Teranga, Red Rock, Endeavor, Semafu and Taurus Gold," says Klaasen.

BME is also active in Sierra Leone, supplying emulsions, explosives and blasting equipment to the Meya Mining diamond mine near the town of Koidu.

It will also provide two other operations by the end of 2018 – Sierra Rutile open pit mining and the Tonguma underground mine.

The
The three main mining operations in Mauritania – Tasiast open pit
gold mine, the National Company Industrial and Mining (SNIM), a public company
Guelb Moghrein iron ore and copper-gold operation belonging to First
Mauritanian copper mines from Quantum Minerals (MCM).

"We are providing to MCM and are also hoping to supply a new gold mine which is expected to come into operation in 2019," said Klaasen.

It also highlights Guinea – where BME supplies explosives at the Siguiri mine in AngloGold Ashanti – as a country offering substantial prospects; Although the site is home to the largest bauxite deposit in the world, exploration is ongoing and two new mines are expected to open in the third quarter of 2019.

The government is also reported to have resumed talks with mining giant Rio Tinto on the development of the world-class Simandou iron ore deposit.

The
BME in Senegal, other possibilities are open to us, said Klaasen, which hosts the new
Massawa project in the east of the country – on one of the largest undeveloped projects
gold deposits in West Africa.