Tietto Minerals unveils resource update for Abujar, eyes first gold pour Q4 2022

Tietto Minerals (ASX: TIE) has unveiled the much-anticipated resource upgrade for its flagship Abujar project in West Africa, with the project now hosting 3.35 million ounces of gold.

Global resources for the project officially total 87.5 million tonnes at 1.2 grams per tonne gold for the 3.35Moz.

Within this comes a large boost in confidence with the indicated component increasing by 49% to 43.4Mt at 1.3g/t gold for 1.85Moz.

Tietto noted more than 55% of the project’s contained gold resource was now classified as indicated.

Underpinning the resource update was 53,000m of diamond core.

“Our resource base has increased at both deposits and we have done this whilst maintaining the grade of these resources,” Tietto managing director Dr Caigen Wang noted.

He added he expects the resource will underpin a material increase to the ore reserves for Abujar with mining engineers expected to complete the mine optimisation phase of the definitive feasibility study in the current quarter.

“We have a target of first gold in Q4 2022 from Abujar – to be West Africa’s next gold mine.”

“We are funded to complete our twin strategy of maintaining our aggressive exploration program while developing a gold mine at Abujar,” Dr Wang said.

Abujar resource breakdown

The AG deposit contributes the majority of the global resource with a total of 50.3Mt at 1.5g/t gold for 2.45Moz.

APG adds 36.7Mt at 0.7g/t gold for 870,000oz, while the SG deposit accounts for 500,000t at 1.4g/t gold for 20,000oz.

Advancing West Africa’s next gold mine

In parallel with resource and definitive feasibility study work, Tietto is progressing drilling, designs and procurement.

The company has completed the layout for the project’s proposed processing plant, while Primero Group is advancing the engineering design and procurement.

Mining contractors have visited the site as part of the tender process.

Meanwhile, 22km of access road is nearing completion.