Over 100 tons of gold discovered in a once-hidden mine

A new gold deposit in Doropo, northeastern Côte d’Ivoire, is set to move from rumor to reality. The company behind it says the mine has a production capacity of more than 100 tons.

The plan on the table is a two-year build that starts in early 2026, and is backed by billions in investment funds.

Officials expect first production in 2028, with thousands of direct jobs tied to operations.

The story matters beyond any single pit because it signals how Côte d’Ivoire is positioning itself in West Africa’s crowded gold sector.

What the Doropo gold find means

The headline figure, more than 100 tons, is a broad statement about potential scale. It tells the public that this is not a small deposit and that the government views the resource as nationally important.

Known numbers from earlier technical work offer a concrete baseline for readers who want specifics. A 2024 definitive feasibility study estimated average annual production of 167,000 ounces over ten years.

In addition, they predict an all-in sustaining cost of 1,047 dollars per ounce, which anchors expectations to real engineering and cost models from prior owners.

Those figures come from a formal study that tested mine design, plant throughput, recoveries, and operating costs.

They do not lock in the final outcome because operators can optimize plans as permits and market conditions evolve.

The discovery also arrives in a mining belt that already produces at scale. That context matters because infrastructure, suppliers, and skilled labor are easier to mobilize when the region has an existing mining ecosystem.

Moving from plan to production

Project development follows a standard sequence that protects both investors and communities.

Environmental and social impact work is reviewed by regulators, a mining license is issued, financing is secured, and then long-lead equipment is ordered.

Doropo has already cleared key steps. The environmental permit was awarded in June 2024 and the mining license process is underway.

If the exploitation permit arrives on schedule, the construction start in early 2026 becomes plausible. A two-year build is typical for an open pit mine with a conventional processing plant.

Construction jobs peak during earthworks and plant erection, then taper into operating roles as commissioning finishes. Training and safety programs begin well before ore hits the mill so that local hires can step into skilled positions.

Costs and grades of Doropo gold

Mining lives and dies on cost discipline. The gold sector uses a standard metric called all-in sustaining cost that rolls together the ongoing costs of mining and processing along with sustaining capital needed to keep the mine running, as defined by the World Gold Council’s guidance.

Doropo’s last published study put that cost at 1,047 dollars per ounce over the modeled life. That number lets readers compare Doropo gold with other mines and with the gold price, and it appears alongside projected annual production of 167,000 ounces.

Another important term is the “definitive feasibility study.” That refers to the detailed engineering and economic assessment used to make a final investment decision, typically including mine plan, processing flowsheet, reserves, capital costs, and operating costs.

Grades and recoveries influence both revenue and cost per ounce. Higher grades mean more gold per ton of ore, while recovery is the percent of gold that the plant actually captures from the ore.

Local impact foreseen

“The entry into production of the first phase will allow the country to collect almost 300 billion FCFA in tax revenues,” announced Chris Eger, CEO of Resolute Mining.

New mines bring cash flow to host regions, and Doropo’s first phase is expected to generate significant tax receipts. 

The number is a forecast, not a guarantee. Actual revenue depends on gold prices, production rates, and how well the mine controls costs.

The currency figure is in CFA franc, the regional currency used in several West African countries. For readers tracking budgets, companies often present both CFA and U.S. dollar figures to aid comparisons.

Local leaders often press for roads, clinics, and schools to be prioritized. Those outcomes require binding commitments in community development plans, transparent reporting, and regular audits that show what was promised and what was delivered.

What to watch next

Keep an eye on permits and land acquisition milestones. These steps are pacing items for any construction start date and will signal whether early 2026 remains realistic, based on the company’s project page.

Follow updated reserve and cost figures as the new owner re-optimizes the mine plan. If grades, throughput, or recoveries change, production and unit costs will move with them, and that will shape jobs and tax numbers.

Researchers are also mapping the Doropo area to refine how faults, rock units, and structures control where gold sits in the ground.

A recent peer reviewed paper on the Doropo region helps explain why exploration geologists keep finding targets there.

The study is published in the Journal of African Earth Sciences.

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