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With New Phase of Investments, Company Extends Project Lifetime and Strengthens Economy of North Maranhão Region
Equinox Gold announced an investment of R$ 900 million to expand its operations at the Aurizona Mine, located in Godofredo Viana, Maranhão. The company, which has produced around 120,000 ounces of gold annually since 2019, now plans to explore a potential section of the mine, with work expected to begin in 2028. This new step will extend the life of the mine and bring new job opportunities to the region, generating positive outcomes in an area where development is still limited.
According to César Torresini, Vice President of Public Relations and Licensing for Equinox Gold in Brazil, the construction of the underground mine is set for 2025. He emphasized that the project gained importance after the activation of the Tatajuba satellite deposit, near the main body, Piaba. This new reservoir, resulting from the company’s geological investigations, will add mineral volume to production, reinforcing the mine’s capacity.
New Deposits and Extension of Mine Lifetime
Equinox Gold is committed to extending the operation of the Aurizona Mine, which was previously scheduled to close in 2026. With the Tatajuba reservoir and future underground exploration, activities at the mine could extend until 2037 or more. Torresini revealed that the continuity of deposits at depth resembles the exploration in Minas Gerais, with the potential to keep the mine active for up to 40 years.
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With constant drilling, Equinox Gold is seeking new reserves below one thousand meters, a practice that has already proven successful in other operations, such as Fazenda Brasileiro in Bahia. Comparing the two mines, Torresini highlighted that Fazenda Brasileiro started with a ten-year exploration forecast in the 1980s and, due to reserves discovered over time, is still productive.
Economic and Social Impact of Equinox Gold in Godofredo Viana
The operation of Equinox Gold has driven the development of Godofredo Viana, a municipality with around 10,000 inhabitants. Since 2019, the company has invested in local infrastructure and tax contributions that strengthen the economy. Between 2017 and 2023, R$ 77 million in ISS was paid to the municipality. Additionally, the Financial Compensation for the Exploitation of Mineral Resources (CFEM) generated another R$ 42 million for the city, and the Union Distributor Participative Fund totaled R$ 14 million in 2023.
These resources play a crucial role in the development of Godofredo Viana, assisting in the funding of public services and infrastructure projects, and generating a significant increase in municipal revenue. Thus, the company not only contributes to mining but also to the social progress of the region.
History and New Perspectives for the Aurizona Mine
The Aurizona Mine previously had operations by Luna Gold, which explored the site between 2010 and 2015. However, activities were halted due to the drop in gold prices and the lack of adequate infrastructure for processing transition materials. In 2016, Equinox Gold contracted the project and invested R$ 750 million in modernizing the plant, installing bar and ball mills to optimize mineral processing.
Since resuming production in 2019, the mine has reached an average of 120,000 ounces of gold per year, processing around 3 million tons of ore. The modernization of the plant has brought greater efficiency and stability to production, ensuring consistent results over the years.
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