West African Resources Ltd

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September 25, 2017 at 2:10 PM (MDT)|Broadmoor Hotel & Resort

Richard Hyde

Founder, CEO and Executive Chairman

Richard Hyde
Founder, CEO and Executive Chairman

Richard is a geologist with 30 years’ experience in the mining industry and over 25 years’ experience operating in West Africa. He founded West African Resources in 2006, leading the company through its IPO in 2010, major gold discovery in 2016, to first gold production in 2020, completing construction 6 months ahead of schedule and US$20 million under budget.

In 2021 Richard led West African’s acquisition of the 7.8Moz Kiaka Gold Project, including raising over A$136 million in equity to support the transaction. In 2023 Richard and his team secured a further US$265 million in debt funding for the development and construction of Kiaka, which is over 50% complete and remains on schedule to pour first gold in the second half of 2025.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Geophysics from the University of New England and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists.


SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This presentation “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and Australian securities legislation, including information relating to West African's future financial or operating performance that may be deemed “forward looking”. All statements in this presentation, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that West African expects to occur, are “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “does not expect”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “does not anticipate”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “budget” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could”, “should” or “might” occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of the relevant management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond West African’s ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
In the case of West African, these facts include anticipated operations in future periods, the expected enhancement to project economics following optimisation studies, planned exploration and development of its properties including project development commencing in H2 2017 with an 18 month construction schedule, and plans related to its business and other matters that may occur in the future, including the availability of future funding for the development of the project. This information relates to analyses and other information that is based on expectations of future performance and planned work programs. Statements concerning mineral resource and ore reserve estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralisation that will be encountered if a mineral property is developed. As well, all of the results of the feasibility study constitute forward-looking information, including estimates of internal rates of return, net present value, future production, estimates of cash cost, assumed long term price for gold, proposed mining plans and methods, mine life estimates, cashflow forecasts, metal recoveries, and estimates of capital and operating costs. Furthermore, with respect to this specific forward-looking information concerning the development of the Sanbrado Gold Project, the company has based its assumptions and analysis on certain factors that are inherently uncertain.
Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation: exploration hazards and risks; risks related to exploration and development of natural resource properties; uncertainty in West African’s ability to obtain funding; gold price fluctuations; recent market events and conditions; risks related to the uncertainty of mineral resource calculations; risks related to governmental regulations; risks related to obtaining necessary licenses and permits; inherent risks in mineral exploration and development; risks related to its business being subject to environmental laws and regulations; risks related to its mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers, or claims and other defects in title; risks relating to competition from larger companies with greater financial and technical resources; risks relating to the inability to meet financial obligations under agreements to which it is a party; ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel; and risks related to their directors and officers becoming associated with other natural resource companies which may give rise to conflicts of interests. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect West African’s forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking information.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTINUED
The presentation also contains references to estimates of Mineral Resources and Ore (Mineral) Reserves. The estimation of Mineral Resources is inherently uncertain and involves subjective judgments about many relevant factors. Mineral Resources that are not Ore (Mineral) Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The accuracy of any such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation (including estimated future production from the project, the anticipated tonnages and grades that will be mined and the estimated level of recovery that will be realized), which may prove to be unreliable and depend, to a certain extent, upon the analysis of drilling results and statistical inferences that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Mineral Resource estimates may have to be re-estimated based on: fluctuations in gold price; results of drilling; metallurgical testing and other studies; proposed mining operations, including dilution; the evaluation of mine plans subsequent to the date of any estimates; and the possible failure to receive, or changes in, required permits, approvals and licenses. Ore (Mineral) Reserves are also disclosed in this presentation. Ore (Mineral Reserves) are those portions of Mineral Resources that have demonstrated economic viability after taking into account all mining factors. Ore (Mineral Reserves) may, in the future, cease to be a Mineral Reserve if economic viability can no longer be demonstrated because of, among other things, adverse changes in commodity prices, changes in law or regulation or changes to mine plans.
West African’s forward-looking information is based on the reasonable beliefs, expectations and opinions of their respective management on the date the statements are made and West African does not assume any obligation to update forward looking information if circumstances or management’s beliefs, expectations or opinions change, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. For a complete discussion with respect to West African, please refer to West African’s financial statements and other filings all of which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.


NI 43-101 QUALIFIED PERSONS AND COMPETENT PERSONS STATEMENT
Information in this presentation that relates to exploration results, exploration targets or mineral resources is based on, and fairly represents, information and supporting documentation prepared by Mr Brian Wolfe, an independent consultant specialising in mineral resource estimation, evaluation and exploration. Mr Wolfe is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr Wolfe has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person (or “CP”) as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code) and a Qualified Person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. Mr Wolfe has reviewed the contents of this presentation and consents to the inclusion in this presentation of all technical statements based on his information in the form and context in which they appear.
Information in this presentation that relates to Ore Reserves is based on, and fairly represents, information and supporting documentation prepared by Mr Stuart Cruikshanks, an independent specialist mining consultant. Mr Cruikshanks is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Cruikshanks has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as CP as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code) and a Qualified Person under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. Mr Cruikshanks has reviewed the contents of this presentation and consents to the inclusion in this presentation of all technical statements based on his information in the form and context in which they appear. West African has filed on SEDAR (at www.sedar.com) a technical report titled “NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate Tanlouka Gold Project, Burkina Faso Technical Report” and dated 14 September 2016, which contains, among other things, detailed information about assay methods, data verification and QA/QC procedures related to the Sanbrado Gold Project. West African will be filing a new NI 43-101 technical report within 45 days of February 20, 2017 in respect of the feasibility study on the project, all as required by Canadian NI 43-101.

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