• Côte d’Ivoire approves environmental study for Endeavour’s Assafou gold project
• Construction expected in H2 2026; production to average 329,000 oz annually
• Assafou key to Endeavour’s growth and Côte d’Ivoire’s 100-ton gold target

The environmental study for Assafou has received approval from the Ivorian government. Endeavour Mining disclosed the approval in its third-quarter financial report on Thursday.

With the approval in place, the company plans to accelerate development of the project and aims to begin construction in the second half of 2026.

A pre-feasibility study completed in late 2024 found that Assafou could produce an average of 329,000 ounces of gold annually over its first 10 years. Endeavour plans to publish a full feasibility study in the first quarter of 2026 and secure a mining permit from the Ivorian government in the same period. Construction is expected to begin once the permit is granted, with commissioning targeted for 2028.

Part of Growth Strategy

If developed on schedule, Assafou would become Endeavour’s sixth operating mine in West Africa. The company currently operates the Ity and Lafigué mines in Côte d'Ivoire, Houndé and Mana in Burkina Faso, and Sabodala-Massawa in Senegal.

Assafou is central to Endeavour’s plan to increase organic gold production by about 36 percent between 2024 and 2030. The project could also contribute to Côte d'Ivoire’s objective of raising national gold output to 100 tons by 2030.

Meeting the project timeline will depend on securing the necessary financing. The 2024 study estimated initial capital costs at $734 million, a figure expected to be updated in the upcoming feasibility study.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou