Modern Mining February 2022

GOLD

Akobo Minerals targets gold production Scandinavia-based gold exploration company, Akobo Minerals, is busy progressing its Segele and Joru assets in Ethiopia, aiming to be a gold producer by as early as the end of 2022.

Jørgen Evjen CEO of Akobo Minerals.

Cathryn McCallum Head of ESG Akobo Minerals.

“ A kobo Minerals is excited about where we are on project development. In fact, 2022 will be a seminal year as we move from an exploration to a mining operation,” says Akobo Minerals CEO Jørgen Evjen. As the explorer looks to make the jump to gold producer, Evjen says that over the next few months the company will be making available new resource figures that will inform present and potential inves- tors of the anticipated levels of gold in the Segele system. With growth in mind, Akobo Minerals is also con- tinually looking to see where it can further develop by leveraging the competence it has built over a number of years of operating in Ethiopia. “This means looking at potential new mineral extractions and new geographies. The focus now is definitely on building the Segele operation, but the company is not standing still and when and where opportunities arise, we will certainly consider them.” While the gold developer targets speedy project development, it remains mindful of not expanding

too quicky; “of not stretching beyond our means in the hope of realising financial success earlier on the curve than we should,” says Evjen. “We have achieved this by ensuring no one area of the company develops to the detriment of any other. Finance needs to work in conjunction with human resources; operations in accord with mar- keting; legal in harness with ESG. In this way, all stakeholders’ needs are taken into consideration and every employee from every department feels that they are contributing to the success of the company.” Segele and Joru - attractive exploration projects Akobo Minerals’ drilling activity at Segele has dem- onstrated exceptionally high gold concentrations. The results from the latest exploration drilling

First flight landing at Akobo funded new airstrip.

20  MODERN MINING  February 2022