Otjikoto mine exceeds production

B2Gold’s Otjikoto gold mine exceeded expectations in the first quarter of 2024, achieving higher-than-expected gold production.

“A total of 45 416 ounces of gold were mined above expectations as a result of higher-than-anticipated mill feed grade. For the first quarter of 2024, mill feed grade was 1.74 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, mill throughput was 0.83 million tonnes and gold recovery averaged 98.5%,” the company said in a quarterly report.

Ore production from the Wolfshag underground mine for the first quarter of 2024 averaged over 1 500 tonnes per day at an average grade of 4.06 g/t gold, it said.

“As of the beginning of 2024, the probable mineral reserve estimate for the Wolfshag deposit included 100 000 ounces of gold in 0.6 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 5.02 g/t gold,” B2Gold said.

The Canadian mining group announced the planned ramp-down of open-pit mining operations throughout 2024, as it gears toward underground mining operations.

“Open-pit mining operations at the Otjikoto mine will continue to ramp down in 2024 and conclude in 2025, while processing operations are expected to continue until economically viable stockpiles are exhausted in 2031.

“Underground operations are currently projected to continue until 2026, with potential to extend underground operations if the ongoing underground exploration programme is successful in identifying more underground mineral deposits,” it added.

On 31 January, the company announced positive exploration drilling results from the Antelope deposit at the Otjikoto mine.

“The Antelope deposit has the potential to be developed as an underground mining operation, which could complement the expected processing of low-grade stockpiles at the Otjikoto mill from 2026 through 2031,” B2Gold said.