Hummingbird Resources Ltd (LON:HUM) has awarded the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract for its Yanfolila gold project in Mali to South African project management firm SENET (Pty) Ltd.
SENET will be responsible for managing the mine’s construction and has already started detailed engineering work at the site.
“SENET were previously involved with Yanfolila when it was owned by Gold Fields so their knowledge of the project is second to none,” said Hummingbird managing director Dan Betts.
“Coupled with their long and impressive history of delivering quality projects in Africa, this gives us all great confidence.”
Hummingbird – which only recently completed a US$71mln fundraise to help finance the Yanfolila project – has also appointed Wayne Galea as project manager to oversee the whole process.
Galea has 31 years’ experience in designing, commissioning and operating mines and possesses “significant” experience working in Africa.
He will work alongside technical director Shaun Bunn.
“He is a key hire for project delivery and brings a wealth of experience to the role that we are already benefiting from,” Betts added.
Hummingbird is targeting first gold production at the mine next year and expects to process 132,000oz of gold in the first full year.
After that, the company estimates a length of mine average production of around 107,000oz per annum.
Shares closed higher on Tuesday at 23p.