Asante Gold Corporation has reported that the Bibiani-Goaso Highway has been reconfigured following the recent construction of two detour roads, enabling additional development of the open pit and underground at the Bibiani Gold Mine.
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This critical step advances the company’s objectives to grow gold production at Bibiani to more than 250,000 ounces per year, with cumulative production of 1.2 million ounces of gold expected over the next five years, at lower all-in sustaining costs (AISC), as detailed in the 2024 Bibiani Technical Report.
Rerouting the highway allows the company to access approximately 170,000 ounces of gold contained in the main pit over the following 12 months. Also, it supports plans to process 250,000 ounces beginning in the fiscal year 2026. The oxide mineralization near the surface in the southern half of the Main Pit allows for increased gold recovery while the Sulphide Recovery Plant is being constructed.
Rerouting the highway allows for an eight-month increase in monthly production to more than 20,000 ounces. In the long term, it supports the company’s objectives to explore and extend the mine life at Bibiani for at least the next decade.
The effective planning, design, and construction of two detour routes made rerouting the Bibiani-Goaso Highway feasible. This provided more straightforward access to commuters and represented a significant milestone for Asante.
The two detour roads were planned with extensive consultation and support from key stakeholders, including Ghana’s Ministry of Roads and Transport, the Ghana Highway Authority, the Department of Feeder Roads, the Regional Ministry, traditional authorities, local community committees, the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipal Assembly, transport organizations, community members, and others. Asante appreciates all Bibiani stakeholders for their valuable contributions to the project.
Reaching this key milestone is crucial for Bibian’s long-term sustainable growth. With the two finished diversion routes, the company has offered safe and efficient access to farms, plantations, and communities for all stakeholders who previously utilized the Bibiani-Goaso Highway. Asante looks forward to a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with its communities and stakeholders.
About the Bibiani Gold Mine
Located in Ghana's Western North, Bibiani is an open pit gold mine that has produced over 4.5 million ounces of gold in the past. It has all the necessary permits and on-site mining and processing equipment, including an updated 3 million-ton annual process plant and existing mining infrastructure.
Asante started mining at Bibiani in late February 2022, and the first gold pour was declared on July 7th, 2022. Commercial production was announced on November 10th, 2022.