Bassari Resources 2019
Striking Gold in Senegal Bassari Resources has made significant progress at its Makabingui Gold Project, the company looking to showcase the West African nation’s potential as a major mining player Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Donovan Smith Senegal – one of Africa’s westernmost nations situated in the heart of an under-explored stretch of gold deposits. The Birimian gold belt, which also extends into neighbouring Mali and Guinea, is beginning to see its potential uncovered as more and more exploration work yields promising finds. This is very much the case for Australian-listed Bassari Resources, which holds permits covering some 312 square kilometres in the Senegalese portion of the deposits. Alex Mackenzie is the company’s founder and CEO, and since 1985 has been consulting to the mining sector and held directorships in a number of industry players covering Senegal, Ghana, Solomon Islands, Ecuador, Brazil and Australia. His confidence in West Africa’s mining industry, and especially Senegal’s, is unwavering. “There is huge potential in West Africa, and some very large deposits,” he says. “Wherever someone drills in the Birimian belt they find gold, and my prediction is that Senegal will follow Mali, which holds one third of the Birimian belt versus Senegal’s two thirds. This gold belt is likely to become one of the biggest in the world. “Senegal has many plusses compared to other countries, including the fact it is a democracy with no security problems.” Makabingui marches on Mackenzie knows what it takes to realise the potential of gold projects in the country, his main area of focus…
