Canadian miner B2Gold plans to continue mining gold at its Fekola mine in Mali despite the sanctions that were imposed on the country by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), according to senior company representatives.
Clive Johnson, the chief executive of the Canadian business, told news agency Reuters that B2Gold expects Fekola to meet the mine’s 2022 production targets. The mine was prepared to withstand any potential supply disruptions that could be triggered by border closures by the ECOWAS, he said.
"However, we are also looking at alternative routings to bring in some critical supplies should that be necessary," according to the CEO.
Last year, following the May 2021 coup in Mali, the company declared it was determined to maintain its objective of producing 530,000 to 560,000 oz of gold at Fekola.