Tabakoto and Segala Gold Project Mali, West Africa

Location
360km W Bamako, Mali

Nearest Town
Bamako

Client
Endeavour Mining

Commodity
Gold

Contract Duration
2012 - 2014

Scope
Mechanised Lateral Development and Production Activities including Fleet Maintenance and Workforce Training

The Tabakoto Project is 360km west of Bamako in the south-west of Mali, close to the Senegal border. The project has two separate mines, the Tabakoto and Segala underground operations. The Segala mine is approximately 7km from the Tabakoto mine. Endeavour Mining were the main owners (80%); the Mali Government owned the remainder.

In 2010, Byrnecut was awarded the contract for Tabakoto and Segala gold mine projects. We were contracted to undertake both the underground production and development activities at both operations of the Tabakoto Project. Mine development started at Tabakoto in October 2010, while the first development at Segala started in October 2011.

The lateral development was a full mechanised mining cycle, that consisted of two declines, level accesses, and ore drives. Production activities engaged the use of mechanised longhole drills as well as teleremote loading technologies. Byrnecut also managed all fleet maintenance.

Using various open stoping methods with rock fill, the project aimed to extract 500,000 tonnes of ore per year.
Byrnecut successfully undertook the employment and training of a Malian workforce, which had to undertake most aspects of mechanised underground mining activities.