Randgold Resources Ltd. has announced their first gold pour from the Tongon mine in the Ivory Coast. The company had forecast an average annual production of about 277,000 ounces of gold from the mine. The first bar of gold was produced with great ceremony in the presence of government representatives and other dignitaries.
Samba Toure the General Manager of Operations for West Africa for Randgold said that the on schedule commissioning of the mine was a significant achievement for the company's development team. The mine is expected to have an 11 year span.
The Chief Executive of the company, Mark Bristow, speaking from London said that there were plans to shorten the five year intervals for opening mines in Africa. In 2000 October they has commissioned Morila in Southern Mali. In 2005 October it was Loulo in Western Mali and in 2010 it has been Tongon.
Mr Bristow said that they were planning to beat the cycle with fast tracking the Gounkoto project in Western Mali. They expected to begin trucking ore from there to the Loulo plant near by next year itself. The Kibali project in Congo will also be expected to reach production before the five year mark is up.