• Heath Goldfields secures $65 million financing from Trafigura
• Funding supports Bogoso-Prestea mine after production resumed
• Deal includes offtake for 700,000 ounces amid ownership dispute

Ghanaian mining company Heath Goldfields said on Thursday it had secured $65 million in financing from commodity trader Trafigura to support operations at the Bogoso-Prestea gold mine, weeks after production resumed following a two-year shutdown.

Heath Goldfields took over the mine in 2024 after Ghana revoked the licence of British operator Blue Gold. The Accra-based company reported its first gold pour in February since assuming control and plans to invest $135 million this year to sustain operations and increase output.

The Trafigura financing is structured as debt and includes an offtake agreement under which the trading firm will purchase 700,000 ounces of doré gold from the mine. Heath Goldfields said deliveries would begin in line with production, but gave few details on the terms.

“This agreement with Trafigura is a defining moment for Heath Goldfields and for the Bogoso-Prestea Mine,” Chief Executive Patrick Appiah Mensah said. He added that the deal would support investment, job creation and local economic benefits.

Uncertainty remains over a dispute with Blue Gold, which is challenging the revocation of its licence. The company has launched international arbitration against Ghana, seeking more than $1 billion in damages.

In January, Blue Gold said it had not ruled out a settlement with the government that could allow it to resume its investment plans at the mine. Ghanaian authorities have not publicly responded, and Heath Goldfields did not address the dispute in its announcement.

The licence was revoked amid allegations that Blue Gold failed to meet operating costs, including the payment of salaries and benefits, following a union petition. The outcome of the dispute could affect Heath Goldfields’ operations and existing agreements.

Heath Goldfields has not provided production forecasts or disclosed the mine’s capacity. Maintaining output is a priority for Ghana, Africa’s top gold producer, where gold is the leading export, particularly as prices have more than doubled over the past year.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou