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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.9


                            FORM OF OPTION AGREEMENT

         THIS AGREEMENT is entered into effective as of the 16th of August, 2001
(the "Date of Grant")

BETWEEN:

                  Golden Star Resources Ltd., a corporation created by
                  amalgamation under the laws of Canada and having its
                  registered office at 885 W. Georgia Street, 19th Floor,
                  Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 3H4

                  (hereinafter called the "Company")

                                                               OF THE FIRST PART

AND:
                                     residing at
         ---------------------------             -------------------------------

                  (hereinafter called the "Optionee")

                                                              OF THE SECOND PART

WHEREAS:

A.       The Company is the registered and beneficial owner of, among other
         things, certain Class B common shares (the "Class B Shares") in Guyanor
         Ressources S.A. ("Guyanor"), a "societe anonyme" constituted under the
         laws of France;

B.       The Company owns approximately 73% of Guyanor's voting shares and will
         directly benefit from the business success of Guyanor;

C.       The Company desires to grant an option to the Optionee to purchase
         certain Class B Shares of Guyanor from the Company.

         NOW THEREFORE in consideration of the premises and of the covenants and
conditions hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.       Grant

         The Company hereby grants to the Optionee the option (the "Option") to
         purchase, effective the Date of the Grant and upon and subject to all
         the terms and conditions set forth herein, _______ Class B Shares of
         Guyanor which are owned by the Company (collectively, the "Optioned
         Shares").

2.       Exercise Price

         The exercise price for Optioned Shares shall be Cdn$_____ per share
         (the "Exercise Price").

3.       Exercise

         The Option shall vest immediately.

         Except as provided in paragraph 5 hereof, the Option may only be
         exercised while the Optionee is at the time of such exercise a director
         of the Company and shall have continuously so served since the grant of
         the Option.

         The Optionee may exercise the Option by giving written notice to the
         Company and delivering to the Company a certified cheque in an amount
         equal to the number of Optioned Shares in respect of which


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         the Option is being exercised multiplied by the Exercise Price. Upon
         compliance with the foregoing but subject to paragraph 8 hereof, the
         Company agrees to do all things necessary in accordance with Guyanor's
         share transfer procedures in order to cause the Optionee to become the
         beneficial owner of such number of Optioned Shares in respect of which
         the Option is exercised. The Optionee acknowledges that, due to French
         law considerations, Class B Shares of Guyanor are not represented by
         share certificates and the Optionee will comply with Guyanor's share
         registration and transfer procedures.

4.       Option Not Transferable

         The Option is not transferable or assignable except by will or by the
         laws of descent and distribution.

5.       Termination of Option

         The Option shall terminate, to the extent not previously exercised,
         upon the first to occur of the following dates:

         (a)      at 5:00 p.m. (Denver, Colorado time) on the date which is ten
                  years from the Date of Grant, the expiration date of the
                  Option;

         (b)      one year after the Optionee ceases to be a Director of the
                  Company for any reason; in the event of death, the Option may
                  be exercised within such year by the person to whom the
                  Optionee's rights under the Option shall pass by the
                  Optionee's will or by the laws of descent and distribution to
                  the extent that the Optionee was entitled to exercise the
                  Option at his death.

6.       Adjustments in Shares

         The Option confers upon the Optionee the option to purchase Class B
         Shares as they are constituted at the Date of Grant. If prior to the
         exercise of the Option Guyanor is required under French law to make
         adjustments in the value of its Class B Shares, the Company agrees that
         it will make corresponding adjustments to the number of Optioned Shares
         or the Exercise Price.

7.       Professional Advice

         The acceptance and exercise of the Option and the sale of the Optioned
         Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of the Option may have
         consequences under applicable tax and securities laws which may vary
         depending on the individual circumstances of the Optionee. Accordingly,
         the Optionee acknowledges that he has been advised to consult his
         personal legal and tax advisor in connection with this Agreement and
         his dealings with respect to the Option and the acquisition of the
         Optioned Shares from the Company.

8.       Regulatory Approvals

         The Option shall be subject to any necessary approval of and acceptance
         by any stock exchange on which the Optioned Shares are listed and any
         other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or
         Guyanor. The Optionee acknowledges that the grant of the Option by the
         Company to the Optionee and the transfer of the Optioned Shares by the
         Company to the Optionee upon any exercise of the Option are subject to
         applicable securities laws and regulations.

         The Optionee further acknowledges that such Option grant and any
         transfer of Optioned Shares are subject to appropriate exemptions from
         the registration and prospectus requirements of such applicable
         securities laws and regulations being available to the Company and no
         prospectus or registration statement having to be filed by the Company.
         To the extent Canadian securities laws are applicable, the Company
         agrees to apply to relevant Canadian securities regulatory authorities
         for any necessary order exempting the Company from applicable Canadian
         registration and prospectus requirements and/or to file with relevant
         securities regulatory authorities any necessary notices of intention to
         sell. The

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         Optionee agrees to comply with any conditions of exemptions or
         exemption orders from applicable registration and prospectus
         requirements for the Option grant, any transfer of Optioned Shares from
         the Company to the Optionee and any resale of the Optioned Shares by
         the Optionee, and acknowledges and agrees to any time delays or hold
         periods that may be required in connection with the use of or reliance
         on such applicable exemptions or exemption orders.

         Where necessary to effect exemption from registration or distribution
         of the Optioned Shares under securities laws applicable to the
         securities of the Guyanor, the Optionee shall be required, upon the
         acquisition of any Optioned Shares pursuant to this Option to acquire
         the Shares with investment intent (i.e., for investment purposes) and
         not with a view to their distribution, and the Board of Directors of
         the Company may require the Optionee to sign an undertaking to that
         effect in a form acceptable to the Board of Directors. The Board of
         Directors may take such other action or require such other action or
         agreement by the Optionee as may from time to time be necessary to
         comply with applicable securities laws. If for any reason exemptions
         from or exemption orders relating to applicable registration and
         prospectus requirements under all relevant securities laws are not
         available to the Company in connection with the Option grant and any
         transfer of Optioned Shares, the Company will notify the Optionee as
         soon as it is aware of the same and the Option will be null and void
         and this Agreement will have no further force or effect.

9.       Notices

         Any notice to be given hereunder shall be deemed to have been well and
         sufficiently given if mailed by prepaid registered mail, telexed,
         telecopied, telegraphed or delivered to the parties at the addresses
         specified above or at such other address as each party may from time to
         time direct in writing. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been
         received if mailed, telexed, telecopied, or telegraphed, forty-eight
         hours after the time of mailing, telexing, telecopying or telegraphing
         and if delivered, upon delivery. If normal mail service is interrupted
         by a labor dispute, slowdown, strike, force majeure, or other cause, a
         notice sent by mail shall not be deemed to be received until actually
         received, and the party giving such notice shall use such other service
         as may be available to ensure prompt delivery or shall deliver such
         notice.

10.      Governing Law

         This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the
         laws of the Province of British Columbia and the Federal laws of Canada
         applicable therein.

11.      Time of the Essence

         Time shall be of the essence in the performance of obligations under
         this Agreement.

12.      Entire Agreement

         This Agreement supersedes all prior and contemporaneous oral and
         written statements and representations and contains the entire
         agreement between the parties with respect to the Option.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have executed these presents as of the day and
the year first above written.

GOLDEN STAR RESOURCES LTD.



By:
    ----------------------------
    Peter Bradford
    President and C.E.O.




--------------------------------
[Name of Optionee]