Aura Minerals pours first gold at Almas mine, Brazil

Aura Minerals Inc. [ORA-TSX; ORAAF-OTC] poured the first gold at the 100%-owned Almas mine, Brazil, on August 10, 2023. Since the commencement of production on April 23, approximately 152,000 tons of ore have been processed, 46,000 tons in June and 106,000 tons in July, from the Paiol pit, nearing the nominal capacity of 114,000 tons per month.

The commissioning of the mill is continuing and above Aura’s expectations, with commercial production anticipated in the coming weeks. The company is on track to meet the 2023 guidance of between 23,000 to 28,000 ounces.

Rodrigo Barbosa, Aura’s president and CEO, commented: “Achieving the first gold pour at Almas is a significant milestone for Aura, given it is the first-ever green field project we have constructed, and that being on time and on budget. We are proud of this achievement, and I would like to thank our entire team for their tireless efforts and the community for their unwavering support. We expect to announce commercial production imminently and look forward to showcasing how Almas will positively impact production and financial outlook.”

The company’s producing assets include the San Andres gold mine in Honduras, the EPP gold mine in Brazil and the Aranzazu copper-gold-silver mine in Mexico. In addition, the company has the Tolda Fria gold project in Colombia and five projects in Brazil, of which four are gold projects: Almas, which is under the final phase of ramp-up; Borborema and Matupa, which are in development; and Sao Francisco, which is on care and maintenance. The company also owns the Serra da Estrela copper project in Brazil, Carajas region, which is at the exploration stage.