JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Dual-listed Centamin has lifted production from its Egypt-based Sukari gold mine by 33% year-on-year to 107 781 oz in the quarter ended June 30.
Noting that full-year production was likely to be between 430 000 oz and 440 000 oz, the miner said in a statement that throughput at the plant had, in the three months under review, increased by 8% on the prior quarter to 2.66-million tons owing to improved blasting and a greater availability of the secondary crushers, which fed finer material to the milling circuit.
Openpit total material movement decreased by 15% on the prior quarter to 13.67-million tons, while openpit ore output slumped 32% quarter-on-quarter to 1.75-million tons.
Commenting on the results, CEO Andrew Pardey said production in the second quarter was comparable with that of the first three months of the year but had exceeded the company’s May forecast.
“Plant productivity was above the 100-million-ton-a-year nameplate capacity and also exceeded our forecast, with scope for further throughput increases as optimisation continues over the coming quarters.
“We continue to expect openpit grades to progressively increase to the reserve average in the second half of the year,” he stated.