The Endeavour Mining Corporation has announced 2012 production at of 310,778 gold oz—exceeding 2012 predictions of 282,000 to 304,000 oz. In addition, Endeavour expects 2013 gold production in the 310,000-345,000 oz range.
Endeavour produces gold from three mines—over 82,400 oz produced from only one mine in 2010, noted CEO Neil Woodyer, citing last year’s Avion acquisition. “We continued to increase the scale of the business and delivered above guidance gold production—for the quarter and the year,” he said.
Slated for a Q1 2014 completion, the Agbaou gold mine, located in the Ivory Coast, is expected to produce near-term growth of more than 100,000 oz/y. An early assessment, meanwhile, indicates 160,000 oz/y potential from Burkina Faso’s Houndé gold project in 2016. Expansion of Mali’s Tabakoto mill, on the other hand, is anticipated to open by the end of Q1 2013, with ramp-up in Q2.
The Houndé project has a 1.46 million oz with an inferred mineral resource of 749,000 oz. A further feasibility study led by Lycopodium will also conclude in Q4 2013.
Tabakoto’s expansion and a production launch at Agbaou are anticipated to add some 150,000 oz annually, with Houndé adding a further 160,000 oz/y, bringing Endeavour to over 550,000 oz from five mines in 2016.
