JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed gold producer Perseus Mining has awarded a lump sum contract to a joint venture (JV) of South African mining contractors and construction companies for the construction of a 5,5-million-ton-a-year processing facility at the Ayanfuri gold project, in Ghana.

The companies participating in the JV include DRA Mineral Projects, Group Five Projects, and Group Five Construction.

Perseus said in a statement that the JV was selected as the combined strength of DRA and Group Five provided extensive relevant experience to the project. The successful tender included a process facility design identical to the definitive feasibility study (DFS), at a cost of less than the $88-million allocated to it in the DFS.

The JV has committed to a project completion during the first quarter of 2011, however, Perseus stated that it was still currently allowing for a third quarter completion, as predicted in the DFS. 

The government approval process was progressing and the company expected to be able to provide access to the site for the JV in the first quarter of next year. Perseus has agreed to fund up to $30-million for immediate expenditure requirements related to initial design, long lead items, and site construction start.

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