In 2018, in partnership with Kazakhaltyn staff, SRK carried out the digitisation of approximately 78 years of historical data covering the Aksu mine area. The mine area includes several mines both historical and operating. The data covered open pit and underground mining data including plans, sections, drillhole data, and channel samples. The data were compiled to produce a database suitable for the eventual reporting of Resources in accordance with the JORC Code. SRK also supervised the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures for JORC compliant sampling and QAQC. The result of the work was the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for Aksu covering only the Quartzite Hills deposit. Since 2019, resource block models have been produced for the other main Aksu deposits close to the operating Oktobyrskoye underground mine. These deposits form the current Kotenko open pit and the planned Kariernoye pit.
In 2019, SRK carried out a Feasibility Study at Aksu that considered an open mine centred on the Kotenko open pit and nearby orebodies above and around the Oktobyrskoye mine. The results of the Feasibility Study were positive and the transition from a small tonnage underground mine to a higher capacity mine is currently underway with gold production planned for 2021.
The recent mandate to update the geological resource model at Aksu involved the additional data from structural studies and the recent geotechnical assessments for the Feasibility Study. This work has allowed the trends in the orebody to be modelled along with results from recent infill and verification drilling. The addition of new sampling results has allowed SRK to ensure that the latest resource model makes the best use of available data in the most appropriate manner.
A key part of both the recent and historical work at Aksu has been to train the Client staff in industry best practice relating to mineral resource modelling and estimation. This will ensure that those staff are able to make the best use of the geological models prepared by SRK.
