Asante Gold Corporation has announced the start of operations at its new sulphide treatment plant at the Bibiani Gold Mine in Ghana. The plant is designed to extract more gold from ore that is harder to process, increasing the efficiency and output of the mine.
The project, which cost $32 million, was completed safely and on budget, with no lost-time accidents reported so far this year. The plant began operating 12 hours per day on September 27, 2025, with full 24-hour operations planned from September 30. Over the next month, the company expects to optimize the plant to recover up to 92% of the gold, a major increase from the 60% recovery rate at Bibiani previously.
The new plant can process 4 million tonnes of ore per year and uses advanced technology, including flotation, regrinding, and high-intensity leaching, to extract gold from tiny sulphide minerals. The facility was designed and tested with support from international partners, including ALS (Australia), FLSmidth (USA), MO Group (Europe), and Maelgwyn (South Africa). Local expertise in project management and engineering came from MiningPro Ghana Limited and Jet-Rom Engineering.
In a statement, Dave Anthony, President and CEO of Asante Gold, highlighted that the focus now is on starting operations and optimizing gold recovery: “With the Bibiani sulphide plant now operational, we are focused on ramping up production and achieving higher gold recovery.”
He also confirmed the company’s long-term growth plans, noting that with the finances now in place, Asante expects to significantly increase its annual gold production: “With the finances now in hand, we expect to grow long-term gold production to 450,000 to 500,000 ounces per year.”
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Construction on the plant began in late 2024, with the goal of recovering gold trapped in sulphide minerals below 110 meters depth, where about 30% of the gold is locked in very fine particles. The plant’s flotation tailings and sulphide treatment tailings are returned to the main carbon-in-leach (CIL) plant for additional processing, maximizing overall gold recovery.
This new plant is expected to significantly enhance Bibiani’s production profile, supporting Asante Gold’s growth strategy in Ghana’s highly productive Bibiani and Ashanti Gold Belts. In addition to Bibiani and Chirano, the company is exploring its Kubi, Keyhole, Fahiakoba, and Betenase projects for potential new discoveries.
