West African Resources has awarded the underground mining contract for the M1 South deposit at the Sanbrado gold project in Burkina Faso to Byrnecut.

The contract, worth $110 million over five years, is Byrnecut’s second in the West African country.

Mobilisation activities are expected to commence in December with portal establishment planned for March.

Works under the contract include underground portal establishment for M1 South, decline and level development of 7 km, ore driving of 2 km and 200,000 t, stope production of 1.3 Mt, and raise drilling and cemented rock backfill.

West African Managing Director Richard Hyde said: “The underground mining contract is a key operational contract for Sanbrado and its award follows the completion of a competitive tender process and extensive due diligence process examining safety, experience and capabilities.

“We are very pleased to award the underground mining contract to Byrnecut who have a long history providing underground mining services globally and have current operating experience in West Africa.”

Byrnecut Group Executive Chairman Steve Coughlan said: “We are looking forward to partnering with West African on the exciting Sanbrado gold project. This project will be our second site in Burkina Faso and fifth project we have operated in the West African region.”

The M1 South underground will kick-off WAF’s mining development at Sanbrado, with the underground development accessing high-grade, free-milling gold mineralisation located directly beneath the proposed M1 South open pit at approximately 120m vertical.

Concurrent mining of the M1 South open pit ore from surface and underground will accelerate cash-flow over the early years of the Sanbrado mine life, the company says.