Scotgold Resources (LON: SGZ), the company aiming at opening Scotland’s first commercial gold and silver mine, has moved the opening of Cononish to February 2020 from December as process plant building and associated civil earthworks are behind schedule.
Access to ore is still expected by the end of this year, the
company said, adding it plans to stockpile gold and silver in the period
leading to the beginning of operations. According to chief executive, Richard
Gray, the move will provide Scotgold with an opportunity to exceed targets
later in the year.
As a result of the delay and other cost re-estimates, it
said it had revised its funding requirements to an additional £2.5 million
(about $3m).
Scotgold envisions an underground mine with an initial production capacity of 23,500 ounces of gold annually, for up to 17 years.
The company, which received initial approval for Cononish in 2018, has been working to reopen an abandoned gold mine in the area for 12 years.
The asset produced first gold in August 2016 following the launch of an ore processing trial. After the local authorities gave the project their blessing, the company began building a large-scale operation .
Scotgold envisions an underground mine with an initial
production capacity of 23,500 ounces of gold annually, for up to 17 years.
The company expects to process around 3,000 tonnes of ore
per month in the first phase, which will double in phase two.
As many as 52 jobs could be created during production, and the firm has offered nearly £500,000 (about $612K) in payments to support the local community of Tyndrum.
The small village is currently a local tourist destination, known mostly for being at a junction of major transport routes.