The Underground Mine of the Gadabay Gold Mine in Azerbaijan Commenced Operation

According to Mining.com, Anglo Asian Mining announced on Monday that it has extracted the first batch of ore from the new Gilar underground mine at its Gedabek mine in Azerbaijan.

Mining activities began earlier this month, with the first batch of ore weighing 1,267 mt, marking a milestone for the company as it aims to become a mid-tier copper miner.

In December 2023, the company confirmed the first JORC-compliant resource estimate for the Gilar deposit at 6.1 million mt, with an average grade of 0.88%, equivalent to 54,000 mt of copper metal content. The deposit also contains gold, with a grade of 1.3 g/mt, equivalent to 255,000 ounces of gold.

While development of the mining drifts is underway, the ore will need to be stockpiled before beneficiation begins. In the coming months, the company plans to expand production, targeting monthly ore extraction of 50,000-60,000 mt.

The Gilar deposit features two types of mineralization: quartz vein and hydrothermal copper-gold. In its 2025 outlook, Anglo Asian mentioned that with the Gilar deposit coming online, this year will be a turning point for the company’s operations, with record copper production expected.

The project is located approximately 7 km from the company’s beneficiation plant, and drilling in H2 2022 yielded positive results. The project has two underground drifts: a main exploration drift of 1,462 meters, which will serve as the primary production drift, and a parallel ventilation drift, which has also been completed. Further development work is ongoing, including a spiral ramp for multi-level ore access.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Azerbaijan has been actively advancing the development of its oil, gas, and mining industries. The country has discovered resources of bauxite, bentonite, copper, gold, iodine, limestone, and silver, and boasts a well-developed steel industry.