By: Mining weekly

Name of the Project

Lafigué gold project.

Location

On the Fetekro property, in Côte d’Ivoire.

Project Owner/s

Endeavour Mining has an 80% ownership stake in the Lafigué mine, with 10% owned by the Côte d’Ivoire government and 10% by State-owned mining company Sodemi.

Project Description

Lafigué has proven and probable reserves of 49.8-million tonnes grading 1.69 g/t gold. The deposit is amenable to conventional openpit, drill-and-blast mining, which will be undertaken by contractors.

The openpit will be developed in six stages, with a maximum mining capacity of 55-million tonnes a year. The mine will produce an average of 203 000 oz/y over a 12.8-year mine life.

Ore mining will occur in three to four flitches during which smaller loading equipment to decrease dilution will be used selectively. Diesel excavators and trucks will be used for loading and haulage, with a fleet comprising 400-t-class face shovels to load 180-t-capacity dump trucks for waste mining, and 200 t class excavators to load 180-t-capacity dump trucks for ore mining.

Ore will be processed through a four-million-tonne-a-year processing plant, based on only a fresh ore feed. The operation will involve two-stage crushing followed by a high-pressure grinding roll and ball milling circuit.

New infrastructure will be added to support mining, processing and waste management on the mining licence, including 6.6 km of internal roads, a 32 km power transmission line and emergency diesel generators, as well as additional site facilities and accommodation for staff. Space has been allocated to the north of the existing processing plant to potentially incorporate a solar power facility in the future.

Potential Job Creation

About 1 550 jobs are expected to be created during production.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return

The project has a pretax net present value, at a 5% discount rate, of $664-million and an internal rate of return of 25% at a $1 500/oz gold price, with a payback of 3.9 years.

Capital Expenditure

$448-million.

Planned Start/End Date

Construction started early in the fourth quarter of 2022 and was completed ahead of schedule on June 28, 2024. Commercial production started in September 2024.

Latest Developments

Endeavour Mining has started commercial production.

The project was completed within budget and on schedule, with a ramp-up to nameplate capacity under way. The mine is operating at 87% plant availability at 72% of nameplate capacity, with average recoveries of 95%.

The mine is processing more than 7 000 t/d of gold ore.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants

None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information

Endeavour Mining, tel +44 203 011 2723 or

 email info@endeavourmining.com.