Polymetals Resources Ltd (ASX:POL) has appointed Nana Yaw Asante as its lead exploration geologist to lead the company’s programs within the Siguiri Basin in Guinea.
Asante has more than 13 years of experience in both greenfield and brownfield exploration in West Africa.
Gold discovery strategy
Polymetals Resources CEO Alex Hanly said: ”We are delighted to welcome a highly experienced geologist of Mr Asante’s calibre to Polymetals.
“Mr Asante has spent his career working in West Africa and most relevantly to us, significant experience in the Siguiri Basin of Guinea where Polymetals is focused.
“Mr Asante will plan and lead our exploration programs within the Siguiri Basin as the company progresses its gold discovery strategy.”
Highly experienced geologist
Most recently, Asante was the senior exploration geologist with Golden Star Resources Ltd in Ghana, where he managed multiple drilling programs at the Wassa and HBB projects, which increased both the inferred and indicated mineral resources.
Prior to this, he worked with Avocet Mining (AIM:AVM) PLC in Guinea for four years, progressing to senior geologist and playing an integral role in achieving a maiden ore reserve of 480,000 ounces within Guinea’s Siguiri Basin.
He also assisted with Tri-K’s feasibility studies from 2013, which lead to the granting of the Tri-K mining permit by the Guinea government in March 2015.
The Tri-K mine has since been developed and managed by the Moroccan mining group, Managem.
Site visit
Hanly conducted a three-week site visit to Guinea in December 2021 which provided an opportunity to assess operations, in addition to reinstating the company’s strategy with senior management personnel on the ground in Guinea.
The CEO and key management staff held constructive meetings with local village leaders at Alahiné and Saourou.
Meetings were also held with the Ministry of Mines and Geology in Conakry and the Centre for Mining Promotion and Development (CPDM) in Siguiri.
A tour of mining operations was also conducted at Anglogold Ashanti Ltd’s +10 million ounce Siguiri Gold Mine, about 35 kilometres to the west of the company’s licences.
The operations at the Siguiri Gold Mine reinforced the significant opportunity presented to Polymetals in the largely underexplored Siguiri Basin.
Ongoing work program
Polymetals’ 10,000-metre auger drilling program, which commenced on November 22, 2021, at the Alahiné licence is expected to be completed by the end of February 2022.
The auger program is focused on near surface supergene gold mineralisation previously identified during Phase 2 drilling, and untested gold soil anomalies >100ppb.
The company plans to release a technical update of the auger drill program following receipt and processing of analyses.