Assessment of Quality of Assay Data on Drill Samples from Golden Star Resources (Prestea/Bogoso)Ltd

Abstract

The success of a mining company is dependent on the integrity of the resource database. The quality of assay data and thus the validity of the database can only be guaranteed when appropriate sampling and assaying protocols have been implemented. It is necessary to convince investors and project financiers that appropriate samples have been collected and that analyses are valid. Monitoring laboratory data improves confidence in ore reserves, drill target selection and management of the company. This work examines how the key sampling, analytical and quality assurance factors impact on project success and assaying samples from Golden Star Resources (Prestea/Bogoso) Limited. It describes Fire assay and Screen Fire Assay, a ‘high tech’ method for gold analysis. The study has shown that Screen Fire Assay is a more suitable and reliable analytical method for ores with coarse gold particles than fire assay. It is therefore recommended that the Screen Fire Assay method be used as a model for gold exploration in general and for ores with coarse gold problems in particular.