Construction of Abujar gold project remains on track for Tietto Minerals
Tietto Minerals is on track to deliver first gold at Abujar in the December quarter.
Construction at Tietto Minerals’ (ASX: TIE) 3.45 million ounce Abujar gold project in West Africa remains on schedule and budget with first gold pour on track before year end.
The company confirmed activities were tracking well against schedule, with the first 60 camp rooms already occupied and blockwork for the administration, clinic and training rooms completed.
Concreting is advancing, with crusher and ROM (run of mine) bin chamber rafts poured.
The first high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liners for the tailings storage facility have been installed and construction of the water dam wall has started.
A SAG (semi autogenous grinding) mill for the processing plant is in transit from South Africa and expected to arrive in Côte d’Ivoire within the fortnight.
Heap leach recoveries
Last month, test work on lower grade ore from Abujar generated heap leach gold recoveries up to 95%, potentially providing further value for the operation.
The test work was part of a scoping study to assess the addition of heap leach to the project’s 4.5 million tonne per annum carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing plant.
Tietto is evaluating using heap leach techniques to process lower grade ore from the project’s APG deposit with grades ranging from 0.16 grams per tonne gold to 0.54g/t gold.
Largest gold mine
The Abujar project has the potential to become one of the largest gold mines in Côte d’Ivoire, with expected production of more than 260,000 ounces of gold in the first year and 1.2 million ounces over the first six years.
The project has 3.45 million ounces in contained gold resources.
In March, Tietto announced a $130 million two‐tranche placement to accelerate development of Abujar with no debt.
The company is expected to deliver an update to Abujar’s life-of-mine production plan by the end of the current quarter using an updated mineral resource estimate, increased mill throughput and higher gold prices.
Abujar is progressing towards first gold pour by year end and is on track to become West Africa’s next producing gold mine.