The Copler operation in Turkey
Low-cost gold producer Alacer Gold is targeting higher output in 2019, following a transitional year during which the company completed the construction of a sulphide plant at its Çöpler gold mine, in Turkey.
The miner on Tuesday set its production guidance for 2019 at between 320 000 oz and 380 000 oz, at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $675/oz to $725/oz. This compares with 170 865 oz of gold produced in 2018, at an AISC of $615/oz of oxide ore.
Çöpler’s oxide ore is currently being processed in a conventional crush, agglomeration, heap-leach and gold recovery circuit and the sulphide ore is being processed using pressure oxidation.
The ramp up of the $664-million sulphide plant is progressing, with 22 000 t of gold having been poured in December. CEO Rob Antal said that the company expected to achieve commercial production early this year and that it was planning to process 1.7-million tonnes of sulphide ore at an average grade of 4.75 g/t.
In addition, the oxide plant will continue to be a material contributor to the free cash flow profile in 2019.
The corporation also has high-potential exploration projects in Turkey in various joint ventures with its Turkish partner, Lidya Mining.