In November 2003, EKOM EYA obtained a legal co-operative certificate number WR/P/IC/13 from the Minerals Commission and in April 2007 were awarded a Mining Lease over a 24.9 acre area over the strike of the Bibiani North mine shed off by Anglogold Bibiani Limited.
It suffices to say that a cursory look at the 2007 drilling summary is very impressive with high grades, appreciable widths and a mineralized strike length of 600m. Assessment of the tailings and waste dump of previous operations estimate 60,000 tons @1.5g/t (2,894 ozs) and 30,000 tons @ 4.5g/t (4,340 ozs) respectively. These figures at the current gold price translate into ore which could be added to the in situ ore assessed to be 1,380,887 @ 6.0g/t (266,380 ozs). Totalled together, the resource estimates by various previous groups on the permit is approximately 273,600 ozs. The in situ resources can easily be accessed by open pit to the 4th level and thereafter, underground development and mining could be undertaken to access the deeper unexplored ore body. Favourable topography and the virtual absence of overburden over much of the permit is an advantage. The national electricity grid has been extended to the site quite recently and the proximity of the site to Bibiani township (about 7km), a district capital with good infrastructure and social amenities, are all additional advantages to a future mine site at Bibiani North
Figure 3: Ekom Eya Small Scale Permit with Coordinates The area around the shaft is fairly flat. To the north there is a gentle slope down towards the Pamunu River, with an area a few hundred metres to the north of the shaft becoming rather swampy during the rainy season.
The Pamunu River and its tributaries form the drainage system, with the Pamunu a semi-perennial river as it can sometimes dry up during March – April. To the east, a wide shallow valley is filled with the tailings of the old mine and to the South a moderate valley develops, which crosses the trace of the ore body at an acute angle. The slope to the south links to the Grasshopper hill. Maximum and minimum height recorded in the vicinity is 400m and 200m above mean sea level respectively
Legalising small scale gold mining brought into being the EKOM EYA Co-operative Group of 14 members with previous vast experience in small scale artisanal mining. The group is based in Bibiani and has maintained good working relations with the string of owners of the Bibiani mine.
Ore from the mine is hauled to a processing centre located in Bibiani Township where it is crushed and milled to powder for treatment
It must be mentioned that the mining and treatment methods adopted by Ekom Eya are highly inadequate as they embark on selective mining and take only the high grade ore. In this regard grades in the range of 4 g/t are left untouched. The gold extraction method also leads to substantial losses to the extent that Sankofa in Prestea come to Bibiani to purchase and transport Ekom Eya’s tails for profitable CIL treatment in Prestea.
Samples of what Ekom Eya consider as waste yielded grades between 4g/t to 7g/t, as the “waste” comprises disseminated mineralisation within sheared phyllites and altered greywackes, which are not mined nor processed by Ekom Eya.
Straight average of the nine channel samples give 31.92g/t and the tailings grade of 1.50g/t is an indication of grades from the ore body
The main targets initially will be Pamunu Nth & Sth, Asempanye (along strike from Chirano). In addition there will be a drill out of the existing pits, ie Russell, Walsh, Strauss, Ahiman and Grasshopper. Also investigated will be the Bibinani North potential