Côte d'Ivoire: Koné mine produces 42 kg of gold in its first pour

Canadian mining company Montage Gold achieved its first gold pour on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Koné mine in Diarra, located in the Woroba district, producing approximately 42 kg of gold, or nearly 1,140 ounces, according to RTI Info. This production comes from the oxidized ore processing circuit, commissioned twenty months after construction began and ahead of the initial schedule, with commercial production for this circuit expected by the end of 2026. Montage Gold CEO Martino De Ciccio hailed this milestone and announced the continued ramp-up of production. Work is ongoing on the hard ore circuit, which is expected to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2027. The project generated around 3,600 jobs during construction, with over 95% held by Ivorians; approximately 1,500 permanent positions are expected in the long term. Koné is Montage Gold's flagship project in Côte d'Ivoire, with an estimated lifespan of 16 years and a production target exceeding 300,000 ounces of gold per year during the initial years. Sankofa Insight — A mine producing gold on Ivorian soil does not equal full and complete mining sovereignty: this is measured by the share of added value, transformation, and tax revenues effectively captured by the State and local stakeholders, beyond just the jobs created.