TURNER POPE16 Nov 2021 13:06
Cora Gold Limited
Cora Gold has completed a substantial upgrade to its mineral resource estimate for the
Sanankoro Gold Project, located in Southern Mali, which is likely to feed into the
upcoming definitive feasibility study. The new total JORC 2012 mineral resource
estimate has increased the gold inventory by over 200% to 809,300 ounces of gold, at a
grade of 1.15g/t Au. Importantly, not only is this resource estimate pit constrained, over
77% is located with the oxide zone and 22% in the transition zone (Figure 1), and
recoveries have previously been shown to be above 95%, making the gold
mineralisation open-pittable, free-digging with high-recoveries. All of these positive
features bode well for the potential economics of the operation to be accessed in the
upcoming definitive feasibility study.
High-proportion of the Resource in the Indicated Category
Around 67% of the resource estimate is in the higher indicated category (Figure 2) and
is more likely to convert to reserves on completion of the definitive feasibility study.
Reserves tend to have a higher value placed on them by both investors and other
acquisitive mining companies.
Current Resource Estimate Unlikely to be Definitive
The current mineral resource estimate comes from drilling conducted to maximum
depth of between 120 and 180 metres below the surface. Gold mineralisation remains
open at depth, offering significant potential to add additional sulphide ounces with
further deeper drilling. In addition to the depth potential, Cora also has significant
potential to add supplementary oxide and transition ounces along strike, having only
drilled along a surface expression of 7.5km of the total prospective strike length of the
33km long exploration target. This exploration target is for up to 2 million ounces of
gold, located within 100 metres of the surface. Cora has also discovered multiple highgrade shoots within the deposit that offer the potential for higher-grade production
during the mine’s early years.
Definitive Feasibility Study just Around the Corner
Cora is anticipating completing its definitive feasibility study for the project in H122.
To have another important milestone for Cora, in such a short space of time is an
exciting development for investors in the Company.
Definitive Feasibility Study to Build on the Jan-20 Scoping Study
The January 2020 scoping study for the Sanankoro Gold Project, returned a NPV8 of
US$30.9 million and an IRR of 84%. This study was based on mineral resource estimate
of 265,000 ounces of gold. With a much larger inventory we anticipate significant
changes to the project’s economics in the definitive feasibility study. In addition, the
scoping study was completed at a gold price of US$1,400/oz; the majority of recently
completed economic studies we have observed have been prepared using a gold price
between US$1,600/oz and US$1,700/oz. Using a higher gold price would offer