West African Resources (ASX, TSX-V:WAF) has improved its potential to enhance the economics of its Tanlouka gold project in Burkina Faso, with new drilling extending high-grade mineralisation down-dip in an area which could add significant ounces to the inventory.
The most recent diamond core hole at the project’s Mankarga 1 (M1) prospect returned 14 metres at 4.5 g/t gold, including 3 metres at 16.2 g/t gold from 36 metres.
None of the mineralisation at M1 is currently in the project inventory, although the prospect is only 2 kilometres from Tanlouka’s proposed Mankarga 5 (M5) starter pit, where initial production is planned at a rate of 70,000 ounces of gold per annum at a cash cost of $428 per ounce.
As such, development of M1 is expected to improve Tanlouka economics if additional gold holdings can be factored into new modelling and mine planning at the site.
M1 mineralisation will be modelled and incorporated in a resource to be released in Q1 2016.
It is expected that oxide mineralisation from M1 will exhibit similar metallurgical characteristics to M5 oxides, and will be amenable to heap leach processing.
Follow-up diamond core drilling is in progress and reverse circulation drilling has been planned in the area.
Recent shallow reverse circulation drilling at M1 has returned 8 metres at 1.45 g/t gold from 25 metres, 10 metres at 1.04 g/t gold from surface and 8.6 metres at 1.84 g/t gold from 9 metres.
A smaller 3-metre intersection at the prospect also recorded 21.54 g/t gold from 10 meters.
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