Batero Gold Corp.
Locating and having access to a sig- nificant mineral deposit is a step in the right direction for an exploration company – and industry outsiders may believe it’s the only aspect necessary for success. But those with experience know full well that a shout of “there’s gold in them thar hills” is just a lonely echo if a qualified and experienced team is not in place to support the discovery.
This is why Batero Gold Corp. is confident in its operations – not only does the company have a significant gold and copper deposit in the Middle Cauca Belt in Colombia, but it also has a strong team of Colombian partners, local supporters and executives working to ensure the economic, social and environmental success of the company’s endeavors.
Batero Gold Corp. is based in Vancouver, but the business’s focus is in Colombia on the Batero-Quinchia project. It got started in 2009 as an exploration company, but it was listed as a shell company on the Toronto Stock Exchange and needed a project to start trading. The company had been interested in the Quinchia project and soon found venture capitalist partners in Colombia, which enabled Batero to go public in 2010. In July of that year, Batero acquired 100 percent ownership of the Quinchia project and raised $5.3 million in equity.
Batero is about 20 months old now. The company raised $30 million in its first years of operation and it raised an additional $6.3 million in June 2012. The company is now focused on evaluating low-cost heap leach mineral processing of near-surface, high-grade oxidized gold mineralization at La Cumbre deposit at the Quinchia project.
Major Potential
The Batero-Quinchia project is located in Quinchia, department of Risaralda in Colombia, approximately 34 miles north of the regional capital of Pereira; this area is recognized as a stable and secure social and political environment, the company notes. The property covers an area of approximately 3,477 acres and is supported with full infrastructure.
The company has a 100 percent interest in the Quinchia gold project, and it is focused on a near-surface, high-grade development opportunity at the La Cumbre porphyry deposit in the southern area of the project. This deposit contains a majority of the near-surface, high-grade mineral resources and is the company’s focus for growth this year. More than 70 percent of the Quinchia project is unexplored, however, so it has further exploration potential.
Long-Term Plans
The project also has been very successful in Batero’s development of local support. In an effort to lessen its impact on the local environment, the company has adopted leading-edge exploration practices and has consulted with a range of specialists from Colombian and Canadian universities to guide the business on social development and environmental protection.
The first goal of every drilling phase is to ensure the surrounding environment is protected and the local community is not disturbed. Before a drill platform is constructed, Batero conducts a detailed analysis of the surrounding environment, identifying slope level, soil stability and proximity to environmentally sensitive elements such as water sources. During drilling, the drills are operated by highly trained staff who use eco-friendly drilling lubricants.
Baffles have been installed around each drill site to reduce noise during drilling and water used in the project is being treated to ensure proper disposal. Additionally, some of the water in the area is high in bacteria and not fit for human consumption, so Batero installed water filtration technology at its exploration site. This provides clean drinking water for Batero employees and families.
Batero’s plan is to be a significant company in Colombia and wants to be there for the long term. It will continue to build its team to reach its goal of developing a low-cost heap leach mineral processing option of the near-surface, high-grade oxidized mineralization at the Quinchia project. EMI