Vancouver-based Asante Gold said it is ahead of schedule in its refurbishment of the processing plant at the Bibiani gold project in Ghana.

Asante has taken all principal equipment motors and drives off site to be serviced, while electrical components and control systems are being tested and upgraded as needed.

Gravity recovery equipment is being upgraded, which includes the purchase of the 6G Knelson concentrator and Gekko intensive leach reactor.

Asante is preparing a new NI 43-101 technical report based on an open-pit mining model. This report will be available in the second quarter of 2022.

Asante is aiming to move Bibiani into production in the third quarter of 2022.

Bibiani has mineral resources of 21.7 million tonnes at 3.6 g/t for 2.5 million ounces of gold, according to a 2018 updated feasibility study.

Gold production at Bibiani will amount to approximately 190,000 ounces of gold in its first year of production, and 240,000 ounces every year following for at least six years, Asante said.

Asante acquired Bibiani from Resolute Mining in August for US$90 million.