Soma Gold has reported the start of mineralised material deliveries from both the Aurora and El Limon mines to the El Bagre Gold Complex in Colombia.
The El Bagre complex is situated around 167km north-north-east of Medellín, within the Antioquia Department.
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The development follows the company’s receipt of the final required explosives permit for the Aurora Mine, enabling operations at the site to recommence immediately.
Soma Gold acquired the Aurora Mine in 2024 and is undertaking extensive rehabilitation including the installation of new power, ventilation and hoisting systems.
Upgrades to underground facilities are ongoing, with new rail lines being added and development progressing on Levels 5 and 6.
These activities are currently generating mineralised material, which is being shipped to the El Bagre Gold Complex.
The company plans to ramp up commercial production at Aurora in the third quarter (Q3) or Q4 of this year, targeting permitted output of 20 tonnes per day (tpd).
Until then, between 10tpd and 15tpd are expected to be delivered for processing.
Mining has also resumed at the El Limon Mine, which previously operated from 1995 until its closure in 2020 due to low gold prices. It has since undergone dewatering to Level 5.
Soma Gold CEO Geoff Hampson said: “The combination of increased production at Cordero and deliveries from the Escondida, El Limon and Aurora mines increases the total tonnage of feed material produced.
“Once full production at these mines is achieved, it will justify the start of processing at the El Limon Mill.
“The addition of sorting equipment at El Bagre will further enable the processing of feed from the Nechi Mine, which is expected to commence production in Q3 2027.”
The company noted that further exploration and testing are required to assess the full extent of resources at El Limon, describing the mine as a useful additional source of mineralised material for the mill in the near term.
Soma Gold has also taken delivery of a new underground haul truck, originally ordered to support expansion at the Cordero Mine.
In April this year, Soma Gold enhanced mineral material processing at the El Bagre site in Colombia using TOMRA Mining’s sensor-based sorting technology.
