North Mara

 

Mine profile

Characteristics

The North Mara gold deposits are situated in the Mara Musoma greenstone belt. There are several types of gold mineralisation including shear-zone-related quartz vein and disseminated gold.

Life and reserves

The life-of-mine is estimated at around ten years, based on its proven and probable gold reserves of 3,012,000 ounces.

Location

The North Mara gold mine is located in northeast Tanzania in the Tarime district of the Mara region. It is around 100 km east of Lake Victoria and 20 km south of the Kenyan border.

Capacity

The North Mara process plant has the capacity to process an average of 8,000 tonnes of ore per day, (or c. 2.8 million tonnes per year) and produces both doré.

Access

The site is served by the national road system and there is an airstrip 7 km from the processing plant.

Climate

The annual average temperature ranges from 16° – 29°C. Average annual rainfall for the region is 1,300mm.

The site

North Mara is a high grade open pit mine consisting of three open pit deposits: Nyabirama, Gokona and Nyabigena.

2012 Performance

Key mine statistics Year ended 31 December Contribution to total Group ounces (Oz)
2012 2011 % variance 193,231
Tonnes mined (Kt) 18,391 21,808 (16%)

Ore tonnes mined (Kt) 1,711 2,254 (24%)
Ore milled (Kt) 2,786 3,070 (9%)
Head grade (g/t) 2.5 2.1 (25%)
Mill recovery (%) 85.4% 80.6% 6%
Ounces produced (Oz) 193,231 170,832 13%
Ounces sold (Oz) 186,600 170,625 9%
Cash cost per ounce sold (US$/Oz) 965 810 19%
Cash cost per tonne milled (US$/t) 65 45 44%
Capital expenditure (US$’000) 91,096 123,146 (26%)

Immediate priorities

  • Maintain increased mining rates
  • Continue to deliver improved recoveries
  • Progress land acquisitions and relocations
  • Finalise lifting of Environmental Protection Order
  • Continue to improve social licence to operate