Commissioning Update at Yanfolila Gold Mine

RNS Number : 8940W

Hummingbird Resources PLC

20 November 2017

 

Hummingbird Resources plc / Ticker: HUM / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining

Hummingbird Resources plc ("Hummingbird" or "the Company")

Commissioning Update at Yanfolila Gold Mine

Hummingbird Resources (AIM: HUM) is pleased to announce that wet commissioning has commenced and the mill has been pre-commissioned at its Yanfolila Gold Mine in Mali ("Yanfolila" or "the Project") ahead of first gold pour by the end of 2017.

Highlights:

·     Pre-commissioning (mechanical and electrical testing) of the installed ball mill is complete

·     Commissioning of the raw water supply for the processing plant completed

·     Commenced wet commissioning of the Carbon-in-Leach ("CIL") circuit

·     Ore will be introduced to the plant on the completion of wet commissioning

Dan Betts, CEO of Hummingbird, commented: 

"Progress is continuing at pace and in line with our schedule.  We are pleased that we have pre-commissioned the ball mill and commenced wet commissioning.  I am continually impressed with the quality and professionalism of our team and our construction partners on the ground moving Yanfolila towards first gold pour."

Dirk Slabbert, President, Sub-Saharan Africa for Outotec, commented: 

"At Outotec we are pleased to have pre-commissioned this 2MW ball mill at Yanfolila.  This adds to our list of more than 100 installed mills in Sub-Saharan Africa, as another world class installation.  The commissioning of the mill is a great milestone in every project.  Outotec is looking forward to continuing our relationship with Hummingbird throughout the lifecycle of this project, with our vast service capabilities available.

"Everyone from Outotec who was involved in this project, from sales, engineering and execution, is very impressed with the professional manner in which this project has been executed.  Hummingbird may be commissioning its first mine, but I believe this is the first of many projects we will execute together."

Please click on the following link to see recent pictures and videos of construction: http://hummingbirdresources.co.uk/gallery/.

Further Information:

The mechanical assembly of the ball mill has been completed and the mill lining has been installed.    Both the inching and main drives of the mill are now operational.  The variable speed main drive has been operated and tested. All the control and monitoring systems are fully functional and ready for the start of operations.  Pre commissioning of the ball mill has now been successfully completed.

Commissioning of the water supply system is complete.  Water is now being pumped from the local water source to the raw and process water tanks and the raw water pond, in accordance with the planned commissioning schedule.  The plant water systems have been powered up, tested and wet commissioned.  Water has been circulated to the Carbon in Leach circuit and the  tanks are being progressively filled with water.  Further areas of the plant will be wet commissioned in the coming weeks.  Ore will be introduced to the crushing and milling circuits following on from the successful completion of wet commissioning. This signifies practical completion of the plant and the commencement of ore commissioning ahead of the first gold pour.

**ENDS**

For further information, please visit www.hummingbirdresources.co.uk or contact: 

Daniel Betts Thomas Hill Robert Monro	Hummingbird Resources plc	Tel: [phone]
James Spinney Ritchie Balmer James Bellman	Strand Hanson Limited Nominated & Financial Adviser	Tel: [phone]
Jon Belliss	Beaufort Securities Limited Broker	Tel: [phone]
Lottie Wadham Susie Geliher	St Brides Partners Ltd Financial PR/IR	Tel: [phone]

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014.

About Hummingbird Resources Plc

Notes to Editors

Hummingbird Resources (AIM: HUM) is building a leading gold production, development and exploration company.  The Company has two core gold projects, the near-term production Yanfolila Gold Project in Mali and the Dugbe Gold Project in Liberia.  It is currently building Yanfolila targeting first production by end of 2017, which has a Probable Reserve of 709,800oz @ 3.14g/t and total Resources of 1.8Moz of gold and an additional 390,700oz of non-compliant exploration potential.  The high-grade gold project has low operating costs of US$695/oz AISC with 132,000oz of first full year's production. 

 

END

 

 

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