The new gold deposit discovered in Boundiali should make Côte d’Ivoire enormously rich.
What is the Boundiali gold deposit in Ivory Coast?
Concretely, the Australian company Aurum Resources announced on December 30, 2024 the discovery of a considerable gold deposit in the Bagoué region, more precisely on the Boundiali site.
With its 1.59 million ounces, or approximately 45 tons of gold, this discovery could generate revenues exceeding 2,400 billion CFA francs for the country of Alassane Ouattara. As a reminder, the kilogram of gold trades at around 54 million.
This announcement comes after an intensive exploration campaign carried out since October 2023, during which more than 63,927 meters of diamond drilling have been completed.
The managing director of Aurum Resources, Caigen Wang, displays measured optimism, already announcing an even more ambitious program for 2025, with 100,000 meters of additional drilling planned.
The first technical analyzes reveal particularly promising prospects. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates exceptional gold recovery rates, exceeding 95%, through the use of conventional gravity and carbon leach processing methods.
-This discovery fits perfectly into the mining development strategy of Côte d’Ivoire, which has already seen its gold production triple over the last decade to reach 51 tonnes in 2023. The government’s ambition to double this production to reach 100 tonnes in the next five years will thus find a new lease of life.
The Boundiali project, supported by Chinese investors, also stands out for its innovative concept of exploitation in « hub-and-spoke »where several deposits will feed a central processing facility.
This approach could optimize operating costs while maximizing project profitability.
However, caution remains in order. Several crucial steps must still be completed before the mine begins effective production.
A pre-feasibility study is planned for the end of 2025, followed by other necessary technical and administrative work. The mobilization of financing for these different phases will also constitute a major challenge.
