Thor Exploration Segilola Plant Begins Gold Shipment from Nigeria
Thor Exploration Segilola Gold project located in Osun State, Nigeria has commenced shipment as production for December 2021 hits 6,119 ounces, the company said in an operational disclosure today. Read: Gold Mining: Segilola Will Begin Operation in 2021 – CEO
The disclosure follows supply chain disruption experienced at the plan late year. However, the management informs that the issues reported in the Company’s announcement on November 30 2021 have been resolved.
Thor noted that the laboratory has been fully commissioned and gold shipments have been made successfully. According to the firm, the Segilola process plant is now running continuously at design capacity with 61,128t of ore processed during the month of December with a head grade of 3.4 grammes per tonne (g/t)
It was noted that minor modifications have been made to further optimise the gravity circuit, which is now consistently outperforming design specification with a December month recovery of over 61%, according to the disclosure.
Management hinted that overall plant recovery is continuing to improve, with an overall recovery of 92% being returned for December and the Company is continuing to work with its EPC Contractor to achieve the overall recovery target of 97%.
“Gold production averaged just over 1,500 ounces per week in December with total gold production for that month being 6,119 oz.”
Near mine exploration drilling resumed following the commissioning of the lab, noting a successful acquisition of prospective ground located within a 20km radius of Segilola through Joint Ventures Agreements.
Outlook for 2022
From Q1 2022 onwards, the company will be processing higher-grade ore as per the mine plan, Thor Exploration disclosed. The disclosure reads that the company expects production for Q1 2022 of 20,000 to 22,000 oz. and full-year production for 2022 of 80,000 to 100,000 oz.
At the Douta Gold Project, in Senegal, reverse circulation drilling commences in February with the Company aiming to complete a Preliminary Feasibility Study in Q4 2022.
Speaking to the development, Segun Lawson, President and Chief Executive, said, following the challenges experienced post commercial production, we are very encouraged by our operational performance at the end of the year and going into 2022.
He said the key supply chain issues experienced in Q3 and Q4 2021 have been resolved.
“The mine laboratory has been commissioned which further optimized our processing ability. Most encouragingly, the process plant ran without any major issues, achieving its throughput rate throughout the month of December and we now enter 2022 very well positioned to process higher-grade ore”, Lawson added.
In Nigeria, the near-mine exploration drilling program which had been put on hold whilst awaiting the completion of the lab will now resume and focus on completing the remainder of the 4,000 metres program, of which 1,200 metres have been drilled.
This drilling program will also test a number of satellite targets that have been further defined over the last three months.
“We remain excited about the additional newly acquired exploration opportunities in Nigeria and at the Douta Project in Senegal.
“Drilling will resume at Douta in February to build on the previously announced maiden resource estimate of 730,000 ounces at 1.5g/t in the inferred category, and also on the newly discovered Mansa prospect”, Thor Chief said. # Thor Exploration Segilola Plant Begins Gold Shipment from Nigeria
Read Also: Thor Explorations Announces First Gold Pour at Segilola Gold Mine
