Gold
The strategy of IGE in
Africa is to acquire licenses in highly prospective areas and to explore these for large gold and base metal deposits. Our aim is to identify one or more deposits with a potential to produce a minimum of
50,000 ounces of gold per year. The development of the deposits into operating mines will be done through joint ventures with solid partners.
IGE holds prospective ground for gold in SW Kenya Greenstone Belts, and in NW Kenya in the Mozambique Belt terrains. IGE's portfolio totals about 430km2 and includes three Special Licenses split in five areas (four in
SW Kenya). All licenses are 100% held by IGE.
IGE is targeting small and medium sized deposits that are considered attractive due to their lower capital requirement and quicker returns.
(click on image for bigger map)
IGE Africa is the business unit in charge of the group's activities in
Kenya. IGE has been present in
Kenya for more than 10 years doing exploration and small-scale gold production. During summer 2009, IGE sold its interest in the Kilimapesa Gold project for USD 2.7 million with a 185% return on investment.
IGE Africa manages its exploration and business development strategy in
Africa through its 100% owned Kenyan subsidiary IGE Kenya Ltd (formerly Sebimu Exploration and Mining Company Ltd). IGE Africa has its head office in Lavington,
Nairobi, and employs 23 geologists, drillers and field technicians.
IGE’s current focus is on the more advanced and more easily accessible South Western Kenya licenses - SL 209 and SL 91.
Special License 209 – Rongo / Atieli
The license comprises two areas, 20 km apart, totaling 91 km2, located in the Nyanzan greenstone belt terrains. The area corresponds to the Northern extension of the Tanzanian Lake Victoria Gold Fields, host to several major gold mines.
• The Atieli area includes an old mine operated between 1960 and 1980. The geology is unusual since the gold mineralization is mainly hosted by altered arkosic sandstones. It consists of quartz veins, stockworks and silicified shear zones. For further information on reconnaissance trenching program Read more
• The Rongo area covers a cluster of colonial mines (Sakwa, Wayland, Lloyd) built over a network of gold-bearing quartz veins hosted by metabasalts.
Read more for information on individual targets
Special License 91 Akala / Lolgorien
• The license is split in two areas covering the Eastern and Western ends of the 90 km long Migori Greenstone Belt, host of the former gold and copper Macalder Mine, and of Kansai Mining Corporation’s 1.172 Moz resources.
• Since 2006, grass-root exploration undertaken on SL 91 includes geological mapping, geochemical sampling (stream sediment, regolith, saprolite), reconnaissance ground magnetometer surveys, as well as detailed induced polarization and magnetometer surveys on specific areas. All data is integrated in a database under Micromine software.
Read more for information on individual targets
Special License 221 - Turkana
The Turkana license, despite its “grass root” status, shows a significant potential for large gold deposits and exploration efforts will continue, despite the current focus on SL 91 and SL
209 in South-Western Kenya. During 2010, IGE will undertake detailed geological mapping, systematic soils geochemistry, and a license-scale magnetometer survey.
• The Turkana license is located in NW Kenya, around the Makutano area, north of the town of Lodwar, and covers 135km2. The area is very arid and inhabited by the nomadic Turkana community. The license area has seen considerable artisanal gold mining activities in recent years.
• IGE has conducted systematic evaluation of the license’s potential and results indicate a complex and expansive system including gold-bearing quartz veins (up to over 10g/t).