Aim-listed gold and lithium explorer and developer Kodal Minerals reports that an updated feasibility study, reflecting the new Mali 2019 Mining Code and other minor amendments, for its Bougouni lithium project, in Mali, has been lodged with Mali’s directorate of geology and mines, the Direction Nationale de la Géologie et des Mines (DNGM), in Bamako.
Kodal representatives have been liaising with the DNGM, with the miner currently awaiting a request for payment of the mining licence fee.
Payment of the fee will enable the drafting of the mining licence decree for final Ministerial approval.
Meanwhile, with political unrest in Mali and the deposing of its President Bah Ndaw, Kodal says it is closely monitoring the situation.
In-country representatives and employees have, however, reported that the situation remains calm and that commercial activities are continuing as normal.
Meanwhile, Kodal has also started aircore drilling at the Nielle gold project, in northern Côte d'Ivoire, to test for gold mineralisation along the interpreted strike extensions of the defined gold mineralised zone.
To bolster the drilling campaign, Kodal notes that a second drill rig, using reverse circulation (RC), has also arrived on site and is expected to commence drilling as soon as all checks and preparations are complete.
In addition, the 5 000 m drilling programme, which is expected to take two weeks to complete, will be supplemented by a reconnaissance of surface geochemical anomalies surrounding the mineralised structures.
The RC drilling programme is designed to confirm previously intersected gold mineralisation, provide confidence in the geological interpretation and to extend the defined gold mineralised zone.
The RC programme comprises a planned 1 000 m of drilling, with samples to be sent for analysis following its completion.
Meanwhile, at the Dabakala project in central Côte d'Ivoire, Kodal has completed an infill sampling programme and has submitted all samples for analysis to the ALS Laboratory in Bamako.
Full details of the programme including interpretation of results and proposed follow-up will be announced when final assays are received and checked.