Kadijatu Jalloh, Senior Database Zoologist at Marampa Mines, presented a detailed analysis of the mine’s current operations during the high-profile visit by the Senegalese Prime Minister and Sierra Leone’s Vice President.
“In front of us is a large geological formation we refer to as the ‘Super Pit,’ clearly visible within the marked yellow boundary,” she explained. “It has a depth of 200 meters and dimensions of 2.6 km by 0.9 km.”
She outlined several technical features of the site: Bandwidth ranges from 5.5 to 9.5 meters, bench height varies between 3 and 12 meters, depending on ore hardness, bench face angle is 70 degrees, overall slope angle is 45 degrees, in line with safety standards.
“Mining safety is our top priority,” she emphasized. “We have a five-year mine plan to extract 44.25 million tons of ore and 52.81 million tons of waste. In 2025 alone, we aim to excavate 8 million tons of ore and 13.042 million tons of waste.”
Jalloh highlighted that current operations are concentrated in the Super Pit Care Zone, also referred to as the water-bearing complex. “Our mining area is divided into seven zones progressing from east to west to maximize productivity. We are now in the drilling and blasting phase, having moved from weathered ore into harder ore bodies,” she noted.
She walked the delegation through the ore transportation process:
“Once the ore is excavated, it is loaded into dump trucks under the supervision of grade control officers, who determine ore versus waste. The material is then transported either to the stockpile or to the crushing area for initial size reduction.”
She concluded by handing over to a colleague who would take the delegation through the ore processing stages.
