AMN - MALI: Nampala mine inaugurated

The official inauguration of Robex Resources Inc's Nampala Gold Mine took place on March 29, 2019, attended by government, embassy and company officials. Exploration operations at the project are yielding their first results.

The mine, which has been in operation since January 1, 2017, and which currently produces a monthly average of 120kg of gold, has finally been officially inaugurated.

The Minister of Industrial Development and Investment Promotion, Moulaye Ahmed Boubacar, the Minister for Malians Abroad and African Integration, Yaya Sangara, his Excellency Louis Verret, Ambassador and Representative of Canada, and the French Embassy Representative of Economic Services were in attendance.

The ceremony was a great success and presided by the Minister of Mines and Petroleum Mrs Hawa Baba Ba Lelenta, respected specialist and former Director of Mali's National Directorate for Geology and Mines.

Guests were greeted at the mine site by country manager of Robex Abdel Kader Ma'ga, general manager and member of the Board of Directors of Robex Benjamin Cohen and CFO and COO Augustin Rousselet.

Company president Georges Cohen was represented by director of Legal Affairs and Human Resources Nicolas Ros. More than 400 representatives of the Malian administration, the mine's economic partners, community representatives, as well as part of the staff and their representatives attended the event.

The speech on behalf of Georges Cohen addressed such themes as industrial success, the partnership entered into with Malian stakeholders, the social involvement of the mine and its partnership with Switzerland to create a literacy centre and the mine acting as a mine school. The mine also announced the upcoming creation of a photovoltaic power plant and extensive work for a gradual increase of its gold production.

The speeches and ceremonies were followed by a site visit.

Robex has also undertaken an exploration and geological analysis campaign. Initially planned for 20,000 metres, it ultimately exceeded 50,000 metres with the following intermediate results:

- A first drilling phase on Nampala to December 2018 has a goal of identifying the limits of mineralisation south, east and west of the current pit. This 9,287-metre campaign allowed for the production of 10,674 samples and for definition drilling in the south zone of the pit; and

- A second drilling phase was carried out on Mininko, adjacent to the Nampala site, which has undergone a major prospecting campaign in view of upcoming operations. This was a 35,030-metre endeavour undertaken by the company.

As of last week, 8,100 metres of definition drilling had been completed which will allow updating the block model, setting a new mining plan and beginning a new calculation of resources.

In order to maintain an ambitious production target, the company has continued to invest in its technical facilities through:

- The ongoing purchase of a crusher in order to stabilise the grain size of the ore upon entry and therefore avoid untimely clogs;

- The purchase of 3 2 MW generators, thereby doubling the production capacity of the plant. This will also allow securing more power at the plant; and

- The purchase of a 90-t crane to replace the one used for production and which is no longer operational.

www.robexgold.com