Samira Hill Gold Mine
Encyclopedia
The Samira Hill Gold Mine (fr. Mine d'Or du Mont Samira) is a Gold mine in Téra Department
of the Tillabéri Region in Niger
. Opened in late 2004, it is the first industrial scale gold mine in the nation, and while operated by a Canadian/Moroccan consortia, the government of Niger owns both a 20% stake in its operation, and functions under government concession. The mine, and the possibility that other gold concessions will follow, is projected to be an important component of future export revenue for the West African state.
have long been known to exist in Niger in the region between the Niger River and the border with Burkina Faso
, and artisanal gold mining has previously taken place in the area. The Namaga concession upon which the Mine was built, is hoped to be the first mine to produce gold
from the Tera greenstone belt
which surrounds Koma Bangou, the country’s largest artisanal mining site. Koma Bangou was first discovered by ONAREM (l'Office National des Resources Minieres, the Nigerien government's mining company) in 1985.
Inc and Canadian Etruscan Resources
Incorporated. Both companies own 80% (40% - 40%) of SML and the Government of Niger holds a 20% stake.
The mine site itself was created around the Samira Hill gold deposit, found on the Tiawa exploration permit and the Libiri gold deposit (three kilometers away) found on the Saoura exploration permit.
was presented to him. This marked a historical moment for Niger as the Samira Hill Gold Mine represents the first commercial gold production in the country.
The mine's two pits are open pits, 3 km from one another, both around 5 km north of the Burkina Faso border, and 95 km west-north-west from Niamey. The larger Samira Pit and the Libiri pit run east west along the site, with Libiri pit to the east. The ore processing is done by crushing, grinding, and carbon leaching (Gold cyanidation
), which requires a pipeline pumping water from the nearby Sirba River
, to the east of the site, as well as a large reservoir and waste pits.
The first year’s production is predicted to be 135,000 troy ounces
(4,200 kg; 9,260 lb avoirdupois
) of gold at a cash value of USD 177 per ounce ($5.70/g). The mine reserves for the Samira Hill mine total 10,073,626 tons at an average grade of 2.21 grams per ton from which 618,000 troy ounces (19,200 kg; 42,400 lb) will be recovered over a 6 year mine life. SML believes to have a number of significant gold deposits within what is now recognized as the gold belt known as the "Samira Horizon", which is located between Gotheye
and Ouallam
.
Prior to production, the estimated totals of both pits were 10.08 million t grading 2.2 g/t Au (ore), from which it was projected 618,000 troy ounces
would be produced in the estimated 6.2 years of mine life. Etruscan has projected that the Koma Bangou deposit contains reserve of 315000 oz of gold.
In 2008, Semafo announced it had discovered two new possible mine sites on its concessions, to the east and west of its current mines. Sikia 1, 1 km in length, is southeast of Libiri pit, while Libiri Plateau, northeast of the Libiri pit, runs 500 meters. It is thought the immediate are could produce pits 10 km east and west of the current site.
Tera Department
Téra is a department of the Tillabéri Region in Niger. Its capital lies at the city of Téra.-History:Téra Department covers most of the historic territory of Liptako. Today primarily a home to speakers of the Southern Songhai language, prior to the Songhai Empire, the area was populated by...
of the Tillabéri Region in Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
. Opened in late 2004, it is the first industrial scale gold mine in the nation, and while operated by a Canadian/Moroccan consortia, the government of Niger owns both a 20% stake in its operation, and functions under government concession. The mine, and the possibility that other gold concessions will follow, is projected to be an important component of future export revenue for the West African state.
Mining in Tera
Exploitable deposits of goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
have long been known to exist in Niger in the region between the Niger River and the border with Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, and artisanal gold mining has previously taken place in the area. The Namaga concession upon which the Mine was built, is hoped to be the first mine to produce gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
from the Tera greenstone belt
Greenstone belt
Greenstone belts are zones of variably metamorphosed mafic to ultramafic volcanic sequences with associated sedimentary rocks that occur within Archaean and Proterozoic cratons between granite and gneiss bodies....
which surrounds Koma Bangou, the country’s largest artisanal mining site. Koma Bangou was first discovered by ONAREM (l'Office National des Resources Minieres, the Nigerien government's mining company) in 1985.
SML consortia
The mine is operated by Moroccan headquartered SML (Societe des Mines du Liptako), a joint venture between Canadian Societe SemafoSociete Semafo
Semafo Inc. is a mining company active in West Africa. Semafo operates active gold mines: at the Mana gold field in Burkina Faso, at Kiniero in Guinea, and at Samira Hill in Niger. In 2008 Semafo's operations produced some 195,500 ounces of gold...
Inc and Canadian Etruscan Resources
Etruscan Resources
Endeavour Mining Corporation is a mining company based in Nova Scotia, in Canada, that operates gold and diamond mines in Africa.Etruscan mines gold and diamonds in the West African countries of Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Niger...
Incorporated. Both companies own 80% (40% - 40%) of SML and the Government of Niger holds a 20% stake.
The mine site itself was created around the Samira Hill gold deposit, found on the Tiawa exploration permit and the Libiri gold deposit (three kilometers away) found on the Saoura exploration permit.
Production
On 5 October 2004, President Mamadou Tandja announced the official opening of the Samira Hill Gold Mine, and the first Nigerien gold ingotIngot
An ingot is a material, usually metal, that is cast into a shape suitable for further processing. Non-metallic and semiconductor materials prepared in bulk form may also be referred to as ingots, particularly when cast by mold based methods.-Uses:...
was presented to him. This marked a historical moment for Niger as the Samira Hill Gold Mine represents the first commercial gold production in the country.
The mine's two pits are open pits, 3 km from one another, both around 5 km north of the Burkina Faso border, and 95 km west-north-west from Niamey. The larger Samira Pit and the Libiri pit run east west along the site, with Libiri pit to the east. The ore processing is done by crushing, grinding, and carbon leaching (Gold cyanidation
Gold cyanidation
Gold cyanidation is a metallurgical technique for extracting gold from low-grade ore by converting the gold to a water soluble coordination complex. It is the most commonly used process for gold extraction...
), which requires a pipeline pumping water from the nearby Sirba River
Sirba River
The Sirba River is a tributary of the Niger River in western Africa. The Sirba arises in Burkina Faso and flows east, crosses into Niger and then forms a short part of the international border between the two countries. It meets the Niger River at the midway point between the settlements of Gothèye...
, to the east of the site, as well as a large reservoir and waste pits.
The first year’s production is predicted to be 135,000 troy ounces
Troy weight
Troy weight is a system of units of mass customarily used for precious metals, gemstones, and black powder.There are 12 troy ounces per troy pound, rather than the 16 ounces per pound found in the more common avoirdupois system. The troy ounce is 480 grains, compared with the avoirdupois ounce,...
(4,200 kg; 9,260 lb avoirdupois
Avoirdupois
The avoirdupois system is a system of weights based on a pound of 16 ounces. It is the everyday system of weight used in the United States and is still widely used to varying degrees by many people in Canada, the United Kingdom, and some other former British colonies despite the official adoption...
) of gold at a cash value of USD 177 per ounce ($5.70/g). The mine reserves for the Samira Hill mine total 10,073,626 tons at an average grade of 2.21 grams per ton from which 618,000 troy ounces (19,200 kg; 42,400 lb) will be recovered over a 6 year mine life. SML believes to have a number of significant gold deposits within what is now recognized as the gold belt known as the "Samira Horizon", which is located between Gotheye
Gothèye
-References:...
and Ouallam
Ouallam
Ouallam is a town in southwestern Niger. It is around 300 km north of Niamey, is the capital of Ouallam Department, one of four in the Tillabery Region.-Culture:...
.
Prior to production, the estimated totals of both pits were 10.08 million t grading 2.2 g/t Au (ore), from which it was projected 618,000 troy ounces
Troy weight
Troy weight is a system of units of mass customarily used for precious metals, gemstones, and black powder.There are 12 troy ounces per troy pound, rather than the 16 ounces per pound found in the more common avoirdupois system. The troy ounce is 480 grains, compared with the avoirdupois ounce,...
would be produced in the estimated 6.2 years of mine life. Etruscan has projected that the Koma Bangou deposit contains reserve of 315000 oz of gold.
In 2008, Semafo announced it had discovered two new possible mine sites on its concessions, to the east and west of its current mines. Sikia 1, 1 km in length, is southeast of Libiri pit, while Libiri Plateau, northeast of the Libiri pit, runs 500 meters. It is thought the immediate are could produce pits 10 km east and west of the current site.
External links
- SEMAFO: Niger Operations (official site).
- The Samira Hill Gold Mine: Etruscan Resources Inc. (official site).