Name of the Project
Sanbrado underground gold project.

Location
Burkina Faso.

Project Owner/s
Emerging midtier gold producer West African Resources.

Project Description
A scoping study has proposed the development of an underground development beneath the M5 South openpit at the Sanbrado gold mine.

The study envisages average underground production of 35 000 oz/y of gold over a five-year life-of-mine (LoM). 

Three key growth areas: M1 South (M1S), M5 South and Toega, are expected to significantly extend Sanbrado’s mine life and future gold production levels.

The addition of the M5 South underground to the production plan is expected to displace almost two-million tonnes of lower-grade openpit material over the LoM, resulting in an increase in production by up to 25 000 oz/y over the current ten-year plan from 2026. Consequently, Sanbrado will maintain production above 200 000 oz of gold.

The project’s ten-year production target is set to average more than 210 000 oz/y from 2024 to 2033, with production increasing to more than 230 000 oz/y from 2026 to 2031 including Toega and the M5 South underground.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Preproduction capital expenditure is estimated at $20-millon.

Planned Start/End Date
West African Resources is working on the proposed underground development of M5 South, which includes further drilling, geotechnical studies and mine planning. Subject to a positive outcome being achieved from the studies, West African Resources aims to start portal establishment and underground development in the second half of 2025, leading to full underground production by mid-2026.

Latest Developments
Openpit mining operations in the quarter to June 2025 produced 409 000 t of ore at a grade of 0.9 g/t, yielding 11 795 mined ounces of gold. 

Openpit mining services contractor African Mining Services (AMS), completed its contract and demobilised from the site at the end of April 2025. West African Resources is transitioning to owner-mining at the Sanbrado and Toega deposits, with openpit mining expected to restart late in the third quarter of 2025.

The M1S underground operation mined 153 000 t of ore at a grade of 6 g/t, resulting in 29 320 mined ounces of gold for the quarter. Underground mined ounces decreased by 13% in the second quarter, compared with those of the March 2025 quarter, owing a 15% reduction in the mined grade, partially offset by a 3% increase in ore tonnes mined.

Contained gold in ore stockpiles decreased by 8%, or 8 348 oz, during the quarter.

The process plant maintained its performance, producing 45 611 oz of gold in the quarter from 830 000 t of ore milled. The head grade was 1.9 g/t and the recovery rate was 92.2%. 

Year-to-date gold production reached 95 644 oz. Gold production was 9% below the previous March 2025 quarter, attributed to a slightly lower mill head grade and recovery, combined with reduced throughput from a planned mill shutdown.

The Sanbrado production centre is on track to achieve its 2025 guidance of 190 000 to 210 000 oz of gold at a site sustaining cost of less than US$1 35/oz.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
West African Resources, tel + 61 8 9481 7344 or email info@westafricanresources.com.