Oriole Resources reports progress at Bibemi gold project in Cameroon

Wed June 25 2025

Oriole Resources PLC has reported progress on its flagship Bibemi gold project in Cameroon, as the company moves closer to securing a mining licence for the site and begins the technical groundwork for potential development.

In an update ahead of the company’s annual meeting, investors were told that local consultations on the project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) had been completed last week. A final report is now awaited from Cameroon’s Ministry of Environment.

A favourable outcome would mark a significant milestone in the application process for an exploitation licence, or ELA, which is required before mining can begin. Senior management also held meetings in May with the Minister of Mines and other officials to discuss the project’s progress. Oriole is seeking a formal timeline for the next stages of the licensing process, which it plans to share once confirmed.

In parallel, an independent review of the ESIA will be carried out to ensure it meets international standards, particularly those required by lenders and potential partners for mine financing. The update follows last month’s publication of an upgraded resource estimate for Bibemi, showing a 23% increase in gold inventory.

Oriole plans to assess whether more of the resource can be moved into the “Indicated” category – a classification that signals greater geological confidence and supports early-stage mine planning. Initial studies suggest a block of gold-bearing material near the centre of the deposit, capped at 150 metres depth, could provide a suitable location for a starter pit.

Resource optimisation and preliminary economic assessments will begin shortly, aimed at defining mineable reserves and developing an initial mine plan. Further metallurgical tests are also planned to refine the processing flow sheet and estimate capital and operating costs to a level suitable for a scoping study.

This work is expected to inform later-stage assessments, including tailings management and economic trade-offs, due to start later this year. CEO Martin Rosser told investors: “We look forward to continuing our positive engagement with the government whilst progressing outstanding technical and preliminary economic studies to enable us to make key decisions, in conjunction with our partner BCM, on the development of a potential gold mine at Bibemi.”

Source: https://africanminingmarket.com/