Tabakoto underground mine
The Tabakoto Gold Mine property totals 156 km
2 and is located 360 km west of Bamako in southwestern Mali near the border with Senegal. Ownership of Tabakoto is 80% by Endeavour and 20% by the Mali government. In 2012, Tabakoto produced 110,301 ounces of gold. Production in 2013 is forecast to be 135,000 to 150,000 ounces at a cash cost of $880 - $920 per ounce. An expansion of the mill was completed in Q1 and ramp-up is ongoing in Q2 to increase production to approximately 150,000 ounces per year.
In 2013, mining is from one open pit - Djambaye II - and the Tabakoto underground mine. Underground mining of the Tabakoto deposit is by long-hole open stoping and began in early 2012 from two portals at the bottom of the Tabakoto pit. Underground development is underway at the Segala deposit, which forms approximately half of the total resources at Tabakoto. Segala is located 5 km north of Tabakoto.
Tabakoto mine map showing deposits and underground development
Segala underground mine planned development, looking east
The Tabakoto mill was expanded from 2,000 tonnes per day (tpd) to 4,000 tpd in Q1 2013, with ramp up of production in Q2 2013. Gold is extracted via a standard CIL plus gravity circuit with a recovery rate of 92-95%. Power is produced on-site with diesel generators and access is either by local airstrip or a 5-hour drive from Bamako on a paved highway.
Proven and Probable reserves at December 31, 2012 are 0.712 million ounces, with approximately 80% being underground reserves at an average grade of 4.6 g/t gold. Resources (inclusive of reserves) are 1.077 million ounces of Measured and Indicated and 0.966 million ounces of Inferred. Underground drilling is ongoing at the Tabakoto and Segala deposit to find new resources and convert existing resources to reserves.
