Aim-listed Red Rock Resources’ Bilbale gold project, in Burkina Faso, holds “significant potential”, consultant Dr Willem J Smuts has noted in a report.

Smuts recently undertook a site visit to the project and carried out several days of evaluation work to identify potential high-grade targets, as well as assess the amenability of the area to support scalable operations and quick-start operations.

“It is the authors’ opinion that the Bilbale permit holds significant potential that requires an aggressive programme of value enhancement.

“It is further my opinion that this permit can, if subjected to an appropriate exploration programme, realise a significant resource and reserve in excess of one-million ounces over the next two years,” he states in the report.

His proposed work programme going forward entails embarking on a detailed geostructural mapping programme of select areas; embarking on a quick-start production programme testing alluvial and placer deposits employing specialist washing or concentration plants; planning and executing a drilling and associated assay programme; and a permitting process to convert to a mining licence based on success.

Red Rock says it is currently arranging four time-critical workstreams, namely, the transport of the washing and production equipment necessary for operations to Burkina Faso; the passports and other paperwork for about 25 expert external staff, who will be required to be in Burkina Faso for the start of operations; transport from Asia of hire plant for excavation; and preparation of initial camp accommodation and eating and security facilities on site for an initial daytime workforce expected to exceed 100 people.

The first two of these workstreams have been subject to bureaucratic delays and some additional cost factors but are now under way, it points out.

The CEO and other senior personnel will be on site to oversee camp preparations from late next week, with a view to starting operations at scale from early June after arrival of personnel and equipment.

This timetable is subject to no further delays at customs or in passport issuance or other official paperwork requirements.

“We are absolutely committed to driving this project to scaleable operation within weeks. Great progress has been made to overcome delays, and we have been working, and will continue to work, day and night, seven days a week, on this critical project implementation phase, with strict cost control,” says CEO Andrew Bell.