Name of the Project
Syama underground gold mine project.

Location
Syama is located in south-eastern Mali, about 280 km from Bamako.

Client
Resolute Mining.

Project Description
A definitive feasibility study (DFS) on the project has confirmed the Syama underground mine as a long-life, low-cost mine that will continue to deliver strong operating margins for Resolute for more than a decade.

It has been determined that sublevel caving represents the optimal mining method to develop the extensive sulphide orebody beneath the openpit.

This mining method will provide con-trolled, high-productivity ore delivery from the deposit.

The prefeasibility study completed on the project in 2015 considered a two-million-tonne-a-year production rate using a single decline with truck haulage and direct truck loading.

Industry experience suggests that production rates of more than two-million tonnes a year may be compromised by a single decline.

As a result, the DFS has used a twin decline truck option and internal ore passes for more efficient loading.

The incorporation of a second decline provides distinct advantages for efficient trucking, with separate traffic directions to minimise congestion, allowing for improved spatial layout for ore passes, better ventilation and a second means of egress.

While the DFS has been based on the twin decline truck option, there is sufficient flexibility in the design and timing to more comprehensively assess the option to include conveyor haulage as an alternative to trucks.

The twin access also allows Resolute to consider expansions in mine production rates in the future.

Current production from Syama is currently more than 200 000 oz/y of gold and development of the underground mine will result in production increasing to 250 000 oz/y.

Resolute will also implement a series of process uprades, with the main objective of increasing the sulphide gold recovery from 78% to 85% (Project 85).

These upgrades will comprise:
• flotation tails carbon-in-leach (CIL), which entails that the current calcine CIL circuit be repurposed to treat the flotation tails;
• a new calcine CIL, which entails the design and installation of a new dedicated calcine CIL circuit;
• regrind, which will involve the coarse calcine product being reground prior to CIL; and
• the upgrade of the current flotation circuit, which entails a series of minor upgrades to improve the operational performance.

In addition, minor modifications to the crushing and grinding circuits will lift mill capacity to 2.4-million tonnes a year.
Resolute is also working with Outotec, the manufacturer of the roaster, to develop a new roaster technology that will produce a low-carbon calcine to further improve CIL recovery.

This new technology will allow Resolute to modify the current single-stage circulating fluidised-bed roaster into a low-carbon roaster (LCR).

Through a series of improvements, the roaster has been running above nameplate capacity at 25t/h. The LCR will allow for this to be increased further to 33t/h.

By significantly reducing the carbon in the calcine being fed to the calcine CIL circuit, the LCR will contribute to an increase in the overall sulphide gold recovery beyond the benefits already mentioned in

Project 85. Consequently, life-of-mine recovery will be 89%.

The Syama underground mine has an initial operating life of more than 12 years.

 Jobs to be Created 
Not stated.

 Net Pr esent Value/Internal Rate of Return 
Not stated.

Value
Resolute has indicated that it will internally fund the preproduction capital requirement of $95-million from current balance sheet and future operating cash flows.

Duration
First development ore is expected to be delivered in December 2016, with stoping starting in December 2017.

The processing enhancements are expected to be commissioned by October 2017.

This timing will allow for continuous production at Syama from the current stockpiled sulphide material and ongoing satellite openpit oxide deposits to be maintained.

Latest Developments
Resolute’s board has decided to start underground development immediately.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Resolute Mining, tel +61 8 9261 6100, fax +61 8 9322 7597 or email contact@rml.com.au.