By: Creamer media

Gold production from the heap-leach is expected to start later this quarter once sufficient ore has been loaded and leaching begins. About 800 000 t of ore is currently stockpiled, while crushing has been ongoing since August.

High-grade ore trucking to the Kiziltepe carbon-in-leach processing plant will continue, benefiting from higher recovery rates. Tavşan has been developed by Zenit Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.Ş., of which Ariana holds a 23.5% interest, alongside partners Proccea Construction and Ozaltin Holding.

“The start of heap-leaching operations at Tavşan is an important milestone and paves the way for sustained gold production from our interests in Türkiye,” said Ariana MD Dr Kerim Sener. “With the gold and silver prices continuing their relentless upward trajectory, the timing of the startup could not have been better.”

Sener commended Zenit and its partners for overcoming “a complex range of technical, logistical and operational challenges” and said the company looked forward to first gold production and a renewed dividend flow from Zenit during 2026.

The Tavşan mine, located in western Türkiye, hosts a Joint Ore Resources Committee 2012-compliant resource of 311 000 oz of gold and 1.1-million ounces of silver, underpinning an eight-year mine life with potential for further resource growth.