Tag Archives: Dan Betts

Hummingbird achieves first gold pour at Kouroussa mine in Guinea

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Hummingbird Resources has announced the first gold pour at the Kouroussa gold mine in Guinea, achieving the milestone ahead of the end of June quarter schedule and on budget.

Commissioning at Kouroussa commenced in early May 2023 and, having achieved first gold pour, the mine is now expected to ramp up to commercial production during the second half of 2023.

Kouroussa, Hummingbird says, is a high-grade, low-cost mine and is the company’s second operating gold asset in West Africa. It is expected to produce an average of 120,000-140,000 oz of gold for the first three years of commercial production, and average 100,000 oz/y over the current life of mine at an all-in sustaining cost profile of circa-$1,000/oz. The Kouroussa processing plant is a 1 Mt/y capacity standard carbon-in-leach plant.

The company said it has built up a run of mine pad stockpile of 120,000 t for on-going commissioning and ramp-up.

Dan Betts, CEO of Hummingbird, said: “The achievement of first gold pour at our second operating mine, Kouroussa in Guinea, is a major strategic milestone for the company, transforming Hummingbird into a multi-asset, multi-jurisdiction gold producer, that more than doubles our production profile to 200,000-plus oz per annum. Kouroussa is the second mine Hummingbird has built on time and on budget, made up of a construction team of African and predominately (80%) Guinean personnel.”

Epiroc to deliver automation-ready drill rigs and LHDs to Hummingbird’s Komana mine

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Epiroc says it has won a large equipment order for a new underground mine at the Hummingbird Resources-owned Komana mine in southern Mali.

Hummingbird, through its subsidiary Société des Mines de Komana, has selected Epiroc drill rigs and loaders with advanced automation features for the development of a new underground mine at Komana, which is part of Hummingbird’s wider Yanfolila operation. Epiroc is to also provide drilling consumables as part of the agreement.

The equipment is made up of Boomer M2 face drilling rigs; Simba M6 production drilling rigs; and Scooptram ST18 loaders. The loaders will come equipped with Scooptram Automation, which lets an operator control the vehicles tele-remotely from a safe distance.

Additional automation features for the machines include Epiroc’s telematics system Certiq, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time, and Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, which makes them ready for automation and remote control.

Sarah Hoffman, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “We look forward to contributing to Hummingbird Resources’ success at their new underground mine, where our machines and first-rate automation solutions will help achieve optimal productivity and safety, and we thank them for placing their trust in Epiroc as their partner of choice.”

Dan Betts, CEO of Hummingbird Resource, added: “With Epiroc’s specialty and experience in underground mining equipment supply, Hummingbird has a partner of choice in the industry. As Epiroc’s equipment arrives on site, we are increasingly progressing our underground mine development at our Yanfolila, Mali operation to underpin the future production pipeline at that asset for the company.”

Hummingbird making short work of second ball mill project at Yanfolila gold mine

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Hummingbird Resources’ plan to install a second ball mill and increase production capacity at its Yanfolila gold mine, in Mali, is tracking ahead of expectations, the company says.

The second ball mill will increase throughput capacity from 1 Mt/y to 1.24 Mt/y when operating at 100% fresh ore and from 1.2 Mt/y to 1.4 Mt/y when processing a blend of ore types, according to Hummingbird.

The mill was deemed the preferential choice when considering the alternative option of installing a tertiary crusher, which was included in the mine’s definitive feasibility study.

Since commencing the project in September 2018, the company has continued to reach advancement targets and both the engineering and civil works are now fully complete, Hummingbird said.

Back then, the company said the mill installation was expected to set the company back $13 million, with the plant due to be operational this September quarter.

The Yanfolila crushing circuit is currently a two-stage operation incorporating both primary and secondary crushing circuits designed to treat a blend of oxide and harder ores. The ore is non-refractory and the process plant design uses gravity and carbon-in-leach for the processing and recovery of the gold which averages 92.5% over the life of mine.

Notable recently completed construction works include the mechanical installation of the mill, structural steel assembly, fitting of the feed and ball loading chute, and installation of the gearbox cooling system. Outstanding works include installation of the sump pumps and electrical systems, which are ahead of schedule.

“The project remains on budget and, furthermore, all equipment for the project is now on site, with procurement and logistics teams having successfully coordinated full delivery,” Hummingbird said.

Commissioning of the completed mill is due to start in July with full capacity ore throughput expected in August.

Dan Betts, CEO of Hummingbird, said: “At full capacity, the mine will benefit from economies of scale, with no requirement for additional staff to the second mill, so we therefore look forward to a lowering cost profile with increasing production rates over the life of mine.”