Tasiast Gold Mine


The Tasiast gold mine is an open-pit gold mine in Mauritania, owned and operated by Kinross Gold. The mine is located north of the capital of Nouakchott in a wadi called Khatt Atui.

History

The Tasiast Gold Mine began production in 2008.
In 2010, Kinross Gold purchased it as part of a $7.1-billion takeover of Red Back Mining in 2010.

Expansion

Following the purchase, Kinross began an expansion of the mine, which is scheduled to finish in 2014, increasing production from 56,000 ounces per year to 1.5 million.
the expansion project was expected to be $1 billion over budget, but it later got scaled back.
Kinross plans to build training facilities in the area, including a School of Mines.

Controversies

In 2015, the company came under fire in the Mauritanian media for allegedly favouring contractors tied to the government; Kinross Gold denied the allegations.