Roads, water infrastructure and local recruitment mark the beginning of visible construction.
Building a new Gold Mine is a skilled, multi-stage undertaking. At Doropo, early works activities are underway as the project transitions into construction.
On April 16th, onsite teams welcomed the first diggers, machines and early construction crew.
Over the past month, the team has completed the first 7km of access road, marking the beginning of the early works at the site of our first gold mine in Côte d’ Ivoire.
Completion of the access road enables contractors and equipment to mobilise efficiently across the site as construction activities continue to expand.
Delivering these early works safely and efficiently reflects the project’s disciplined construction approach.
Securing the water supply
Before teams can work at full pace, and before the rainy season makes ground conditions more challenging, securing a reliable and plentiful water supply is a critical operational priority.
Onsite teams have commenced water-bore drilling, with four drilling targets now active across the site and drilling continuing across site. It’s methodical work that underpins everything — from team welfare to the operational demands of construction.
“Together, we build today the foundations of tomorrow. Early works is where that journey begins — the first, quiet steps, that make first gold possible.”
Ahmed HODROJ, Construction Manager, Doropo Gold Project
Local teams, local participation
From the outset, we have been collaborating closely with the people of Tonguidouo and Herewedouo villages.
That commitment is already showing up in the numbers. Alongside construction activity, we’ve created an employment database to connect local workers with contractor opportunities as new roles become available.
Already, we’re proud to see 161 jobs created through early project activity, with a further 20 recruitments underway. These figures represent real livelihoods, real investment in the region, and the beginning of a relationship between the mine and its community that will endure long after the construction crews have moved on.
Growing our camp
A growing project needs a growing camp. At the Danoa camp, we’ve upgraded the kitchen facilities and we’re currently adding 48 new rooms to accommodate the contractors, engineers and crew members who will drive construction forward in the months ahead.
As construction activity increases, camp infrastructure plays an important role in supporting workforce mobilisation and day-to-day site operations.
What Comes Next
The months ahead will see the pace quicken considerably at Doropo Gold Mine. Clearing activities for the future processing plant area will get underway, detailed construction work on the access road will continue and bulk earthworks equipment is being mobilised as the next stages of construction begin to take shape.
The concrete work tender has now closed, with work scheduled to begin in Q3.
Further earthworks contractor equipment is arriving on site, with several key long-lead order item contracts awarded: Bolted CIL tanks, SAG and Ball Mills and Mechanical Slurry Agitators.
Beyond the ground-level activity, Doropo Gold Mine SA has now been formally incorporated in Côte d’Ivoire. A meaningful legal milestone that signals that this project is progressing on every level.