Aim-listed gold producer Goldplat has started full production at its gold recovery plant in Ghana, after acquiring stockpiles from its increasing client base - the latest addition to its list being Gold Fields' Tarkwa operation.

The company has moved 12 containers of fine carbon estimated to contain 2 821 oz of gold from Tarkwa in the last four weeks.

The carbon-in-leach circuit (CIL) section of the plant was completed in December 2007. The CIL and integrated gravity plant enable increased gold recovery from the surface material in one pass, which in turn impacts on costs and profitability of the company.

The cyanide CIL circuit operates on a 24-hour shift, and runs seven days a week.

The installation of a smelter has also been completed, which would enable Goldplat to smelt gold concentrates produced by third parties. Once operational, the company would smelt the concentrates and export the bullion to Rand Refinery in South Africa. The company has accepted the terms for the export and refining of gold bullion submitted by Rand Refinery.

The company reached an agreement to buy two more stockpiles in the Dunkwa area, which would provide about 37 000 tons of extra material - estimated to contain 21 373 oz of gold. The company's total stocks in Ghana are about 52 000 t of material estimated to contain 30 178 oz of gold, which now exceed five years of production.

Another three surface stockpiles have been identified and evaluated, and the gold producer is negotiating the purchase price for these materials.

Goldplat has also announced that it is expanding into gold mining through the acquisition of known deposits with targets of between 200 000 and one-million ounces of ore contained therein.

To this end, in a 50:50 joint venture, it is developing the potential of the Lolgorien licence area in western Kenya, with a view of establishing a mining operation in the short term.

"A number of other potential projects across Africa are under review," the company divulged.

Goldplat is focused on building a mid-tier gold mining and production vehicle in Africa, partially financed by an established gold and platinum group metals recovery business with blue-chip clients and strong revenues.