Kavango Resources advances Hillside gold project to live processing phase
Kavango Resources Plc has successfully transitioned its Hillside gold project in Zimbabwe from construction to live processing with the installation of a 50-tonne-per-day plant.
Processing began on 1 July 2026, utilizing stockpiled gold-bearing sands alongside freshly milled material from the Hillside Milling Centre. The plant achieved an average of 69% capacity utilization between 18 and 28 July 2026, with tests confirming effective gold adsorption in the carbon-in-leach circuit.
The company is now gradually incorporating run-of-mine ore into the feed as it fine-tunes crushing, milling, gravity concentration, and CIL processes. An on-site laboratory equipped with bottle-roll, fire-assay, and atomic absorption spectrometry supports ongoing recovery optimization, grade control, and exploration efforts.
This proof-of-concept plant represents the initial phase of Hillside’s development and will guide future expansion decisions. The Bill’s Luck Underground deposit holds a JORC-compliant resource of 33,900 ounces of gold at 2.68 grams per tonne, with expected commercial plant recoveries between 90% and 93%.
Chairman Donald McAlister emphasized the importance of commissioning in establishing stable operations and supporting plans to expand processing capacity. Kavango plans to update the market upon achieving first gold production and completing commissioning.
Following the announcement, Kavango shares surged 16% during Monday morning trading in London, reaching 0.79p per share.
