Precious metals producer Fortuna Mining’s approved environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for its Diamba Sud gold project, in Senegal, serves as a critical milestone in advancing the project while aligning with the company’s commitments to environment, social and governance frameworks across its operations, says CEO and president Jorge Ganoza.

The Diamba Sud gold project is in the late stages of permitting and feasibility. A preliminary economic assessment was released earlier this year.

Fortuna Mining received the ESIA approval from Senegal’s Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition in June 2026, which has driven the company to continue advancing early construction works as the project’s feasibility study is also being advanced. This will be followed by a final construction decision in mid-2026, he adds.

“Obtaining the environmental permit for our future Diamba Sud gold mine, just nine months from submission to approval . . . demonstrates that mining projects in Senegal can advance on a highly competitive timeline,” says Ganoza, adding that the milestone reflects the Senegal government’s commitment to enabling the responsible development of its mining sector.

The ESIA authorisation confirms that the Diamba Sud project complies with all applicable environmental regulations and has secured social acceptance from its stakeholders.

The approval is also a decisive step towards obtaining the mining permit, following the submission of Fortuna’s said application to the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum and Mines in February 2026.

Early site works are currently underway, including camp construction and the placement of purchase orders for critical-path equipment packages. The 2026 project budget is $100-million.

Sustainability Across Operations
Fortuna views strong governance as a critical component in ensuring responsible mining and long-term value creation across its operations, according to Fortuna’s 2025 sustainability report that was released in May this year.

Fortuna operates the Séguéla mine in Côte d’Ivoire, the Lindero mine in Argentina and the Caylloma mine in Peru, alongside advancing Diamba Sud.

To ensure the company effectively meets its sustainability targets, Fortuna’s board of directors monitors energy efficiency and greenhouse-gas (GHG) reduction initiatives and oversees community engagement to maintain trust and ensure long-term operational continuity, says Fortuna sustainability committee chairperson David Laing.

Aligned to this, Fortuna is advancing key renewable-energy, and water and tailings management initiatives central to its long-term strategy.

The Lindero solar PV plant now supplies more than 38% of the mine’s energy, while Caylloma maintains 100% renewable electricity supply, both representing material steps towards Fortuna’s 2030 GHG emissions reduction target, thereby reducing the miner’s carbon footprint and exposure to energy cost volatility.

Water management is a key focus of Fortuna’s sustainability priorities, says Fortuna sustainability senior VP Julien Baudrand. Aligned to this, Fortuna advanced site-specific water management actions in 2025, informed by hydrogeological studies, water balance modelling and climate risk assessments.

These initiatives enhance the company’s ability to manage drought and flood risks, maintain regulatory compliance and operate without significant water-related incidents.

“Water is a shared resource, and how it is managed directly affects ecosystems, host communities and the resilience of our operations,” says Baudrand, adding that emphasis is placed on monitoring, recycling and reuse rates, and stakeholder engagement where water availability is sensitive.

Meanwhile, given that tailings storage facilities (TSF) represent one of the most critical environmental and safety risks in the mining industry, as structural failure can result in significant environmental, social, regulatory and financial consequences, Fortuna continues to prioritise tailings management as critical infrastructure, says Laing.

Aligned to this, Fortuna is advancing engineering works, risk assessments and operational planning across all its TSFs, further embedding governance principles aligned to the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).

This includes structured internal assessments, independent technical reviews and enhanced documentation of credible failure modes and emergency preparedness.

“These activities reflect our commitment to preventing catastrophic events and protecting downstream communities, not as an abstract principle, but through rigorous technical practice and oversight,” says Baudrand.