Deccan Gold Mines Ltd. has launched pre-commissioning trials at its Altyn Tor Gold Project in Kyrgyzstan, moving the asset closer to full-scale production and marking a key milestone for India’s only listed gold and critical minerals exploration company.
The company said the pre-commissioning programme will be rolled out in stages, starting with the crushing, grinding and gravity concentration circuits, before progressing to the leaching circuit, subject to weather conditions. During this phase, Deccan Gold plans to process between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes of ore, with an average grade slightly above 1.0 grams of gold per tonne.
Gold recovered during the trials will be produced as saleable concentrate or doré bars, allowing the company to validate processing performance ahead of full commissioning. Deccan Gold added that its mining team has already completed the planned mined volume for the year, while assay results from a recently completed resource drilling programme are expected in the coming weeks and could support further optimisation and planning.
Managing Director Dr. Hanuma Prasad Modali described the start of pre-commissioning as both an operational and strategic milestone, highlighting the project as India’s first direct gold mining presence in Kyrgyzstan. He said Altyn Tor reflects a model of responsible mining and cross-border collaboration, with the goal of building a globally credible asset that strengthens India’s international footprint while delivering long-term benefits to local communities.
