Activities at the Kodiéram gold mine (in the region of Sikasso in southern Mali) by the Malian private company, Wassoul'or, will begin 30 September, PANA learnt Wednesday from the company management.

The ceremony will be presided over by Malian president Amadou Toumani Toure,

Wassoul'or company has an operating licence covering an area of 100 km2 in Kodiéram and shareholders have already invested over 86 billion CFA francs in the proposed mine, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Aliou Boubacar Diallo, said.

Diallo, a Malian businessman, owns 55% of the capital, against 25% for foreign partners and 20% by the Malian government.

The site includes a quarry of 2 km2, a 3-km long airfield, a fuel depot, an administrative building and a reception and security service.

The production forecast is 200,000 ounces, or 6 tons of gold per year. The plant, 90% of which has been completed, has a processing capacity of 11,000 tonnes of ore per day. It has been licensed to operate for eight years.

Pana 04/08/2011