ESG

Fekola operations continue amid COVID-19 infections

Vancouver-based B2Gold says its proactive testing and response plan has identified 10 employees with the COVID-19 virus at its Fekola mine in Mali, however, operations continue unhindered by the pandemic.

Staff Reporter
B2Gold says 10 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Fekola operation in Mali

B2Gold says 10 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Fekola operation in Mali

Editor's Note: Mining Journal is making some of its most important coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic freely available to readers. For more coverage, please see our COVID-19 hub. To subscribe to Mining Journal, click here.

The company reported the first near-site infection on April 16, when an employee tested positive at the exploration camp about 5km from the Fekola mine site. 

The company said of the 10 infected, nine were asymptomatic.

The company had implemented a tight site lockdown from April 19 onwards, accommodating employees from nearby villages in temporary accommodations on site to create an "island setting" with minimal interaction with local communities.

All employees entering the Fekola project are now required to quarantine for a minimum of twelve days prior to entering the general site population. Despite these measures, one new positive COVID-19 case was identified on May 2.

The company said everyone with the virus had been removed from the Fekola site.

It said it was planning to test all Fekola employees for the virus, including before entering or exiting the site.

Fekola continues to operate at full capacity and the company guides for meeting or beating guidance this quarter and year. B2Gold reported record production from Fekola 164,011oz during the March quarter.

It continues with an expansion of the Fekola mill, which is expected to be complete by September. An expansion of the tailings dump also remains of schedule to provide expanded capacity from 2023 onwards.

 

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the farming sector, brought to you by the Kondinin team.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Project Pipeline Handbook 2024

View our 50 top mining projects, handpicked using a unique, objective selection process from a database of 450+ global assets.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Investor Sentiment Report 2024

Survey revealing the plans, priorities, and preferences of 120+ mining investors and their expectations for the sector in 2024.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence Mining Equities Report 2023

Access an exclusive, inside look on the quarterly mining IPOs and secondary raisings data and mining equities performance tables with an annual Stock Exchange Comparisons supplement.

editions

Mining Journal Intelligence World Risk Report 2023 (feat. MineHutte ratings)

A detailed analysis of mining investment risks across 121 jurisdictions globally, built on 11 ‘hard risk’ metrics and an industrywide survey.