Gramalote JV Project – Colombia
B2Gold has a 50% interest in the Gramalote Project (AngloGold Ashanti Limited (“AngloGold”) owns the other 50%) and on January 1, 2020, became the operator of the project.
Gramalote is located approximately 230 km northwest of Bogota and 120 km northeast of Medellin, the regional capital of the Department of Antioquia situated in central Colombia.
Following a review of Gramalote's feasibility study work to date, B2Gold believes that there is strong potential to improve the economics of the project (economic highlights were previously released on May 4, 2021, based on the feasibility study work to date), which could be developed by revisiting the original Gramalote Project design parameters included in the existing mining permit (as applied in the Gramalote Preliminary Economic Assessment in January 2020 and historical AngloGold studies) and further optimizing project design. Review of the updated Gramalote Ridge Mineral Resource also shows that further value can be created through additional drilling of the Inferred portions of the Mineral Resource area, both within and adjacent to the designed pit, with at least 25,000 metres of drilling planned and progressing in 2021 and a mineral resource update expected in early 2022. In addition, drilling is being carried out at the Trinidad deposit during the remainder of 2021.
The Gramalote Project team is advancing work on different project optimization opportunities to potentially reduce capital and operating costs, as well as improve operability and sustainability of the Gramalote Project. Those activities include road optimization and layout, pit design and phasing, blast design optimization, river deviation changes, improved infrastructure layout, and further optimization of plant design. As noted, optimization efforts also include continuing exploration drilling at the Gramalote deposit with additional drilling at the Trinidad deposit, continuing to implement the Resettlement Action Plan, advancing the purchase of key properties required for project development, entering into a development agreement with a power company to commence studies to bring power to the Gramalote mill site, continuing the process of formalization and removal of artisanal miners to outside of the industrial area, and completing environmental and social studies necessary to support the permit modifications that are identified as part of the optimization process.
As the evaluation of the different optimization opportunities advances, B2Gold is reviewing what changes in the design could require minor and major permit amendments of the approved Environmental and Social Impact Assessment. The supporting environmental and social studies continue to move forward as planned. B2Gold expects that any minor or major permit amendments required could potentially impact the development timeline and delivery of the final feasibility study for the Gramalote Project which is now expected in the second quarter of 2022. Completion of the feasibility study is now scheduled for the second quarter of 2022 as a result of an increase in planned drilling and the impact of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. The revised 2021 budget of $69 million represents an increase of $17 million (Company's share $8.5 million) over the initial announced 2021 Gramalote Project budget of $52 million. If the final economics of the feasibility study are positive and B2Gold and AngloGold make the decision to develop Gramalote as an open-pit gold mine (decision date expected mid-2022), B2Gold would utilize its proven internal mine construction team to build the mine and mill facilities and operate the mine on behalf of the Gramalote Project.
The Gramalote Project continues to benefit from strong federal and local government support as well as continuing support from local communities.
Supporting Documents:
For a more detailed overview of the Gramalote Project, please refer to the following most recent company documents:
- Click here for B2Gold's Q3 2021 Management Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A") (dated September 30, 2021)
- Click here for B2Gold's Q3 2021 Financial Statements (dated September 30, 2021)
- Click here for B2Gold's 2021 Annual Information Form ("AIF") (dated March 30, 2021)
