Initiated in May 2019 by Australian mining exploration specialist West African Resources, the Sanbrado gold mine project in Burkina Faso is now well underway. In a press release issued on Thursday, February 13, the mining operator announced the early commissioning of the main crusher, as work has progressed faster than expected. As a result, the mine is expected to begin production in the second quarter of 2020 instead of the third quarter, the company said, which has raised more than $250 million since 2018 to finance the construction of the mine. The gold site is 90% owned by Société des mines de Sanbrado (Somisa), a local subsidiary of West African Resources, with the remaining 10% owned by the Burkinabe government. When the project was launched, feasibility studies estimated that it would generate between $350 and $400 million in revenue for the Burkinabe government over a decade and create 1,200 jobs.