Ethiopia’s Kurmuk Gold Mine has entered a key commissioning phase, bringing one of the country’s largest gold projects closer to full scale commercial production.

Located in Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, the mine has been connected to the national electricity grid and has successfully processed its first ore through the crushing circuit.

Kurmuk Gold Mine Plc, the local operating company, has informed the Ministry of Mines that it expects to conduct its first gold pour during the ongoing hot commissioning and production testing phase. The initial pour will be part of operational testing and will not yet mark the formal start of commercial production.

Canada-based Allied Gold Corporation expects the mine to produce between 240,000 and 270,000 ounces of gold during its first full year, rising to around 300,000 ounces in the following year. Average annual production is projected at about 290,000 ounces during the first four years.

The project has an initial mine life target of 15 years and is supported by around 2.7 million ounces of Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves from the Dish Mountain and Ashashire deposits.

The mine is expected to support Ethiopia’s efforts to increase mineral exports, attract foreign investment and generate additional foreign exchange earnings.

Allied Gold also controls approximately 1,450 square kilometers of surrounding exploration areas, offering further potential to expand the project’s mineral resources and extend its long term production outlook.

Source: Capital Ethiopia Newspaper