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(Kitco News) - Hummingbird Resources (AIM: HUM) announced today that the Kouroussa gold mine processing plant has reached the practical completion stage, and has entered the commissioning phase towards achieving first gold pour this quarter.
The company said that pre-operational and cold commissioning is currently underway and, once completed, will move to the hot commissioning phase, followed by the first gold pour in Q2 2023.
Importantly, according to a press release, sufficient ore feed tonnes are on the ROM pad for commissioning, with mining activities accelerating to provide increased ore feed tonnes on the ROM pad for first gold pour followed by name plate production.
The Kouroussa gold mine in Guinea is a high grade, over 4 grammes per tonne, open pit operation, and is the company's second operating gold asset in West Africa.
CEO Dan Betts commented, "Kouroussa is on track to pour first gold within the current quarter, and the start of commissioning of the processing plant is a significant step forward in achieving this objective. As we begin the commissioning phase to bring Kouroussa online, we remain heavily focused on safety at this busy time.
"Additionally, operational readiness and the transition to daily operations is a key part of this phase as we look not just to first gold, but to ramping up production to name plate capacity, moving the company to being a +200,000-ounce, multi-asset, multi-jurisdiction gold producer."
Hummingbird Resources currently has two core gold projects, the operational Yanfolila gold mine in Mali, and the Kouroussa gold mine in Guinea, which will more than double current gold production when in production, scheduled for first gold pour the end of Q2 2023.
Further, the company has a controlling interest in the Dugbe gold project in Liberia that is being developed by joint venture partners, Pasofino Gold Limited. The company said the final feasibility results on Dugbe showcase 2.76Moz in reserves and strong economics such as a 3.5-year capex payback period once in production, and a 14-year life of mine at a low AISC profile.
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