Heavyweight broker Goldman Sachs has started coverage on a mix of West African gold firms, aiming to identify those which look set to outperform

Amara Mining (LON:AMA, CVE:AMZ) has taken a step forward in its efforts to extend the life of the Kalsaka mining operation with the completion of a preliminary economic assessment of the Sega deposit.

Cluff Gold today unveiled a deal with international trading firm Samsung C&T for a long term strategic partnership that will allow the AIM quoted miner to advance the Baomahun project.

After revealing today a 21 per cent increase in production in the first half of the year, Cluff Gold has told investors that it expects further improvements in grades and output from the Kalsaka mine.

Shares in West-African focused gold miner Cluff Gold were lifted today after it unveiled "significant" drilling results from its Yaoure project in the Ivory Coast.

This year's drilling will provide greater understanding of the deposit, which is currently estimated to host over 4mln ounces of gold but has yet to be fully tested at depth.

Klondex Mines (TSE:KDX) (OTCQX:KLNDF) has reported more drill results from its Fire Creek gold project in Nevada ahead of initial production projected for later this year, with such high grades in new, unexplored areas prompting the gold developer to delay its resource update. 

Kirkland Lake Gold (TSE:KGI) (LON:KGI) is moving away from the use of diesel with the introduction of lithium-ion battery scoops and trucks in its underground gold mines and will save capital investment as a result. The use of this technology both saves large capital investment and is a welcome environmentally-friendly alternative fuel source without diesel or any other emissions underground.

Tamaka Gold, an advanced stage gold exploration company with multiple assets in Ontario, Canada, is moving ahead with work on its lead project with an eye to producing a resource update in short order.

Casimir Capital's Eric Winmill says he views the metallurgical sampling results released by Klondex Mines (TSE:KDX) on Wednesday as a positive for the company, even boosting his estimates for pre-commercial production this year.