Toronto-based Barrick Gold has announced it is eyeing opportunities for significant open pit and underground growth at the company’s Kibali mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Africa’s largest gold mine.
Kibali “has made a strong start to 2022 and is on track to equal its 2021 production this year. Last year it again replaced the reserves depleted by mining,” the Canadian business said in a statement.
Barrick Gold’s president and chief executive Mark Bristow was quoted in a statement as saying that Kibali had notched up numerous other key deliverables during the first quarter of 2022. Data from 2021 suggests the mine has total proven and probable mineral reserves of 83 million tonnes at 3.60g/t for 9.6 million oz of gold.
“Barrick is continuing to invest in the DRC, not only by developing the many new growth opportunities which are extending Kibali’s life, but also through pursuing greenfields exploration and other opportunities across the country as we search for our next world-class discovery,” Bristow said.