West African gold company Hummingbird Resources has started civil works in the Yanfolila Gold Project in Mali.

Construction work began at the mine after the appointment of IMAGRI-SARL last month.

IMAGRi-SARL will be responsible for all civil works at the site, including ROM tip and primary crusher, secondary crusher and screen and Milling and Carbon in Leach (CIL) area.

Initial surveying, setting out and trenching have already started on the site in preparation for concrete pouring scheduled for later this month.

It is expected that the first gold pour will be carried out by the end of 2017.

Hummingbird Resources CEO Dan Betts said: “We are now laying the ground work for our first gold mine in Mali with civil works having started. 

“This is an important milestone for Hummingbird Resources as full-scale mine construction has now commenced, and we are on schedule for our first gold pour by the end of 2017 targeting 132,000oz in the first year."

The first full year of production will deliver around $70m of free cash flow in that year at a $1,250/oz gold price. 

Hummingbird Resources has two core gold projects, which are Yanfolila Gold Project in Mali and the Dugbe Gold Project in Liberia. 

The news comes from Mizztech.