Kinross Gold reports that as of late
March 2011, 26 drill rigs were active at
its Tasiast operations in Mauritania and
a feasibility study for expansion of gold
production from 56,600 gold equivalent ounces in 2010 to annual produc-
tion of about 1.5 million gold equiva-
lent ounces by 2014 was on track for
completion by mid-year 2011. Activity
during the first quarter of 2011 included commitments for approximately
$204 million in new equipment,
including $103 million for 17
Caterpillar 793D haul trucks, two
Bucyrus RH340 hydraulic shovels, four
Caterpillar D10 track dozers, and two
Caterpillar 854 wheel dozers and $101
million for a SAG mill and two ball
mills, wrap-around motors for the mills,
and three crushers.
The feasibility study was 36% complete, with the site layout determined
and process flow sheets completed.
Permitting in support of the project was
proceeding on schedule.
The scoping study for the Tasiast
expansion envisions increasing mill
capacity from 8,000 to 68,000 mt/d
and increasing average annual gold production to approximately 1.5 million for
the first eight years of production. The
expansion project remains on schedule
to begin operation early in 2014.