Asante announces commercial production at Bibiani Gold Mine

Highlights:

• The first gold pour at Bibiani was completed 7 July 2022, two months ahead of schedule. Metallurgical performance and gold production is on track with the ramp up schedule.
• All process plant and mine facilities have been operating on a 24 hour per day basis from late June, with approximately 220 000 t in September and approximately 206 000 t in October. Asante plans to increase throughput to 250 000 t ore per month by 1Q23.
• Gold production in September was above 9300 oz, 17% above the company’s start up plan. October production was 9910 oz, 15% above plan. Gold production will continue to ramp up to approximately 20 000 oz per month by early 2023.
• The Walsh Pit continues to outperform relative to its initial planned gold production. As this pit has been developed, the grade control drilling program has been a key component to development of this trend.
• The company’s plan to extend the Bibiani open pit life of mine (LOM) from 8.3 years to +10 years is on track with successful development exploration at Russel South and drilling programs continue at the Grasshopper and Elizabeth deposits as planned. The company will continue its near mine development exploration program with planned drilling of approximately 30 000 m/yr for 2022, 2023, and 2024.
• The Bibiani orebodies typically dip near-vertical and are open at depth. Bibiani has initiated an underground mine planning study to define development of an underground mine operation that will access mineralised deposits below the main pit and the satellite pits. Asante anticipates the underground mine program initiative will increase annual gold production significantly and proceed from 2025 and extend mine life beyond the period of open pit mining.

Dave Anthony, President and CEO stated:

“We are very pleased with the progress has been achieved at Bibiani. Over the past 12 months the Bibiani Mine Team has established a track record of over achievement and we look forward to increasing the value of this asset. As we gather momentum at the Bibiani Mine, and advance with exploration activities and production improvement initiatives, we look forward to providing further updates.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/11112022/asante-announces-commercial-production-at-bibiani-gold-mine/