Ariana begins commissioning at Tavsan gold project in Türkiye

Ariana Resources PLC (AIM:AAU) has begun cold-commissioning at the Tavsan gold mine in western Türkiye, marking a major step towards bringing its second Turkish operation into production.

The AIM-quoted explorer said this initial phase of testing the facility without ore had started following the site’s connection to grid power. The full commissioning process is due to run through June, with first gold production expected in July.

Tavsan is being developed by Zenit Madencilik, a partnership between Ariana, Ozaltin Holding and Proccea Construction. Ariana holds a 23.5% stake in the project.

“After several months of a monumental effort from the Zenit team and its contractors, the latest developments at Tavsan are exceptional,” said Kerim Sener, managing director of Ariana.

“The connection to grid power remained outstanding until recently, which has now enabled the commissioning of the processing plant to commence.”

The company said the heap-leach pads, large engineered piles where ore is irrigated with chemicals to extract gold, were almost complete.

Loading of stockpiled ore is expected to begin later this month. Ariana said it had approximately one year’s worth of ore already mined and ready for processing, with gold grades ranging from 0.7 to 1.2 grams per tonne.

“This will be our first heap-leach operation in Türkiye, which, by operating in parallel with the Kiziltepe CIL processing plant, provides Zenit with a large degree of operational flexibility,” said Sener.

Ariana also confirmed the approval of a solar power project for the site. The planned 2,555kW installation will support the mine’s energy needs and help reduce reliance on the national grid.

“This will not only help reduce operational costs over the life of mine but will also contribute to reducing the power demand from the grid, enhancing the environmental credentials of the operation,” said Sener.

“Even longer term, it will make a sustainable contribution to the development of the area.”

Drilling work is ongoing to expand Tavsan’s resource base and potentially extend the mine’s lifespan. Ariana said 3,700 metres had been drilled so far as part of a wider 15,000-metre programme.

Tavsan is expected to become Ariana’s second producing asset in Türkiye, complementing the Kiziltepe gold-silver mine, which has been in operation since 2017.