TSX- and ASX-listed Alacer Gold, which operates the Çöpler gold mine, in Turkey, produced 89 354 oz of gold in the quarter ended March 31, keeping it on track to meet its full-year guidance of producing 320 000 oz to 380 000 oz of gold.
The company on Tuesday reported that the ramp-up of the sulphide plant at the mine had continued throughout the first quarter, with the plant having delivered 36 933 oz of gold from sulphide ore for the quarter.
"As we closed the first quarter, there were improvements in plant stability, throughput, utilisation and recoveries. The first planned major shutdown to inspect an autoclave was successfully completed in April and the autoclave was found to be in excellent condition," commented Alacer president and CEO Rod Antal.
Meanwhile, the company sold 91 044 oz of gold in the first quarter, earning proceeds of $119-million for the quarter.
Alacer's attributable earnings for the first quarter were $3.3-million and normalised attributable earnings were $18-million.