A mining company based in Canada, SEMAFO has shared the objectives of the exploration program for 2011 with regards to the current delineation drilling project at Mana's Fofina area.
A deposit was discovered in the area last year. In May 2011, reverse-circulation delineation drilling was carried out in the zone’s core at 25 m intervals. SEMAFO is currently in receipt of 64% of assay results, which are suggestive of a quality grade mineralization with certain likeness to the Nyafé gold-producing deposit situated 3 km east of Fofina.
A total of 30 holes worth 8,864 m have been completed in 2011. Due to the number of parallel zones that were identified and the nature of the mineralization, tighter spacing was preferred, thus providing a more accurate statistical database to add reliability to the interpretation.
Eight different zones, viz., Fofina, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6 and V7 have been identified in the area. Last year, the inferred resources for the eight zones added up to 8,421,300 tons of 3.15 g/t Au grade. The upgrade of the near-surface resources and collecting a portion to the reserves has been set as the exploration program objective for 2011.
The Vice President of Mine Geology and Exploration at SEMAFO, Michel Crevier stated that the Fofina zone was SEMAFO’s first discovery made in 2010, which persistently displays high grade potential and could provide an added flexibility to the company’s strategic plan in the future. Following the results of the remaining assay, SEMAFO will continue with a follow-up program designed to refine the delineation in the required situations and complete the metallurgical work to establish the economics of the Fofina deposit’s open pit potential by providing the technical parameters.