106 - The International Resource Journal

FEBRUARY 2013 The International Resource Journal113licence application in around April 2013; we’llhave a new resource update sometime in thenext quarter; and additional drilling results onthe way over the next six to 12 months,” saysConnelly.He affirms that, fortunately, Papillon hasa solid and varied shareholder register sufficientto supporting its ambitious program. “Wehave on our register typical institutions wellrenowned for holding gold stock – JP Morgan,Blackrock, M&G, GCIC – so it’s a good combinationof companies and a very supportiveregister as well,” he says. “The ASX has servedus very well.”Full-speed aheadThe company has no plans to start other projectselsewhere, choosing instead to prioritiseon aggressively fast tracking Fekola’s exploration,appraisal and development. This year,Papillon wants to “continue to move the projectforward, advancing the resource upgrade,growing the project… and demonstrating to theinvestment community that we are advancingthe development of Fekola,” says Connelly.“From my perspective, the aspiration is todo what we say we’re going to do; that’s alwaysvery important,” he adds. “From both a technicaland a financial corporate perspective, weneed to continue to meet our objectives, deriskthe project and continue to develop it.“Most importantly, we are evolving from anexplorer to a mine developer, and that’s nevereasy,” he continues. “It’s important that people– investors and observers – understand that’swhere the company is in terms of its evolution.It’s my job to ensure we’re informing the marketof what we’re doing, and that we are meetingthose objectives as we set out to do them.”At this point, where Connelly has been atPapillon for only two months – is he confidenthe’ll take Fekola all the way through to production?“Absolutely,” he says. “I’ve done it beforeand I’m confident we can do it again.”www.papillonresources.com