This technical report presents an updated feasibility study for the Koné Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, based on mineral processing testwork completed between 2014 and 2023.
Report context
This National Instrument 43-101 technical report, effective 16 January 2024 and published 15 February 2024, describes the updated feasibility study for the Koné Gold Project located in Côte d’Ivoire. The report incorporates the Koné and Gbongogo Main open pits and covers mineral processing, metallurgical testing, mineral resource estimation, mineral reserve estimation, mining methods, and recovery methods.
Processing route
Overview
The process plant flowsheet includes a run-of-mine pad, crushing circuit, crushed ore stockpile, high-pressure grinding roll (HPGR) crushing with wet screening, grinding and classification circuit, pre-leach thickening, leach circuit, carbon-in-pulp (CIP) circuit, tailings thickening and disposal, elution, carbon regeneration, and goldroom operations.
Comminution circuit selection
The comminution circuit selection was based on metallurgical testing and design considerations documented in the report. The circuit includes crushing followed by HPGR crushing and wet screening, then grinding and classification.
Crushing and stockpiling
Run-of-mine ore is delivered to the ROM pad. The crushing circuit processes ore before it reports to the crushed ore stockpile. An additional HPGR screen oversize stockpile is provided. HPGR crushing is followed by wet screening.
Grinding and classification
The grinding and classification circuit receives material from the HPGR crushing and wet screening stage. This circuit prepares the ore for downstream processing.
Thickening and leaching
Pre-leach thickening is conducted ahead of the leach circuit. The leach circuit feeds the CIP circuit for gold recovery.
Gold recovery
Gold is recovered through elution, electrowinning, and goldroom operations. Carbon regeneration is included in the process.
Tailings management
Tailings are thickened and pumped for disposal.
Reagents and services
Reagent systems and plant services are described as part of the process design.
Key reported parameters
| Parameter | Unit | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process plant availability | % | Not specified in extracted sections | Design assumption |
| Comminution testing periods | , | 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 | Historical testwork |
| Metallurgical testwork phases | , | PFS (2020), DFS (2021, 2023) | Proposed design basis |
*Note: Detailed performance parameters (throughput rates, recovery percentages, reagent consumptions) were not presented in the extracted report sections. The table above shows the parameters explicitly stated in the available text.*
Technical qualifications
The report was prepared under National Instrument 43-101 standards. Qualified persons contributing to the processing sections include a principal process engineer and discipline-specific qualified persons for geology, metallurgy, and mining. The report notes that metallurgical testing was conducted in multiple phases: 2014, 2018, PFS in 2020, and DFS in 2021 and 2023. Testing covered variability comminution and physical testing, leach conditions optimization, leach variability testing, carbon modelling, tailings sample generation, thickener tests, rheological tests, XRD clay speciation, gravity concentration, cyanide leach tailings diagnostic testwork, sodium cyanide decay testing, and silver carbon modelling. The report does not provide actual operating data from a processing plant, as the project is at the feasibility study stage. All processing parameters are based on testwork and design calculations, with no current production data available.
Source: *Koné Gold Project, Côte D’Ivoire Updated Feasibility Study National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report*, effective 16 January 2024, publication date 15 February 2024. Sections 13.0 (Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing), 14.0 (Mineral Resource Estimate), 15.0 (Mineral Reserve Estimate), 16.0 (Mining), and 17.0 (Recovery Methods).
