Q4 PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS UPDATE
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Avesoro Resources Inc.
TSX: ASO
AIM: ASO
Q4 PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS UPDATE
Avesoro Resources Inc. (Avesoro or the Company), the TSX and AIM listed West African gold producer, is pleased to announce gold production for the quarter ended 31 December 2016 (the Period) for its New Liberty Gold Mine (New Liberty) in Liberia and to provide an operational update.
Total gold production for the Period was 18,872 ounces, a 34% increase over the previous quarter and in line with guidance of 17,000 to 20,000 ounces for the Period. This brings full year production for 2016 to 63,556 ounces.
Operational Update
Following the successful transition to in-house mining operations as announced on 6 September 2016, mining activities have continued to progress with material mined during the quarter totalling 3,342,469 tonnes, a 76% increase on the previous quarter, including 302,822 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 2.61 g/t. The increase in tonnes mined has been driven by operational improvements including additional operator training and supervision together with increased equipment availability.
Throughout the second half of 2016, processing operations at New Liberty have stabilised, and plant utilisation for the Period increased to 91%. This has been achieved through the recruitment of additional experienced process plant operations staff, a proactive maintenance schedule, improved tailings and surface water management as well as incremental improvement to the detoxification circuit and process plant pipes, pumps and valves. Ore processed during the Period totalled 269,081 tonnes at an average feed grade of 2.09 g/t with gold recovery levels increasing to 87% for the Period, a 13% increase over the previous quarter aided by the general plant optimisation.
Notwithstanding this improvement in performance, optimisation activities and infrastructure improvements continue at New Liberty, with upgrade works to the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) to increase its capacity and improve surface water management continuing and two additional PSA oxygen plants currently being expedited to site and expected to be installed and operational by mid-Q1 2017. Following the successful transition to owner-operator mining, the Company is also now focused on bringing a number of additional outsourced activities in-house and further optimising the operation.
Commenting, Serhan Umurhan, Chief Executive Officer, of Avesoro Resources, said:
The Period has seen further improvements across the entire operation and we are pleased with the continued progress being made. The performance in the fourth quarter was an improvement on the previous quarter with record tonnage of material moved and the plant operating in line with expectations resulting in our quarterly guidance being met and providing the Company with a solid platform for a material improvement in financial performance commencing in Q1 2017. Whilst the forthcoming financial results will reflect the historic operational issues, we look forward to delivering further advances in operational and financial performance during 2017 and we intend to update our investors with production guidance for 2017 later this month. |