Ariana Resources PLC (AIM:AAU), the AIM-listed mineral developer, is gearing up to start gold production at its Tavsan mine in Turkey by late July, the company confirmed on Monday.
Ariana holds a 23.5% stake in the project, which marks its second operating gold mine in the country.
The firm announced that the heap-leach pads, large, engineered areas where gold-bearing ore is spread and treated with chemicals to extract gold, have been completed.
Overliner aggregate, a protective layer laid on top of the pads to prevent contamination, is currently being installed ahead of ore loading, which depends on government inspections.
Heap leaching is a common technique in gold mining that allows for more cost-effective extraction compared to traditional milling.
The process involves stacking ore in layers and applying a chemical solution to dissolve the gold, which is then collected and processed further.
Ariana also reported that “hot-commissioning” of the crushing and screening plants has begun. This phase involves testing the equipment under operating conditions with actual material to ensure everything functions correctly before full production.
Meanwhile, “cold-commissioning”, testing without ore of the agglomerator, which helps bind fine particles in the heap-leach process, is complete.
The company has around a year’s worth of ore stockpiled and ready for loading, with crushing and screening already underway.
Overland conveyors, which transport ore between different stages of processing, have been installed and are about to begin testing.
Testing is also in progress for the Adsorption-Desorption-Recovery system, a key part of the process that separates gold from the chemical solution. Pumps for the ponds holding gold-rich (‘pregnant’) and waste (‘barren’) solutions are being installed.
To support ongoing operations, a second water well is being drilled to ensure sufficient water supply, currently reaching a depth of 200 metres with a target of 500 metres.
On the exploration front, Ariana has completed over 6,000 metres of drilling in a planned 15,000-metre programme aimed at extending the mine’s life by identifying additional resources.
The Tavsan project represents a crucial step in Ariana’s expansion in Türkiye’s gold sector, highlighting progress from construction towards steady production in the coming months.
Managing director Kerim Sener said: "The amount of work completed in recent months and the level of professionalism of the Zenit team and its contractors are nothing short of extraordinary.
"We congratulate the team on their collective efforts and wish them a successful start to heap-leach operations at Tavsan."