LONDON – Avocet Mining said its first-quarter gold production jumped 64% from the year earlier as the first contribution from its Inata mine in Burkina Faso outweighed lower output from South East Asia.

"Inata's better than scheduled ramp up means that Avocet's annual production rate has now risen to over 200 000 oz," said CE Jonathan Henry.

Gold production surged to 44 877 oz from 27 374 oz in the year-earlier period.

However, excluding Inata, which had not reached commercial production in the quarter, output fell 5% and overall cash costs rose 21% to $735/oz.

Inata produced 9 166 oz of gold in April.

"We are targeting further improvements in production as Inata continues to ramp up to full design capacity, and also in resource expansion," said Henry.

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