Montage Gold’s Koné Project: A Strategic Investment in Metso’s Mining Technology

In the high-stakes world of gold mining, strategic investments in cutting-edge technology are paramount for success. Montage Gold’s Koné Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire exemplifies this approach, leveraging a significant investment in Metso’s advanced mining technology to optimize operations and maximize returns. As the largest gold project currently under construction globally, with an expected production profile of more than 350,000 ounces per year, Koné is poised to become a premier African gold producer, and its collaboration with Metso is a key factor in achieving this goal.

The Koné Gold Project: A West African Powerhouse

Located approximately 470km north-west of Abidjan, the commercial capital of Côte d’Ivoire, the Koné Gold Project is an open-pit mining development. With an estimated mine life of 16 years and a pre-production capital investment of $712 million, the project is designed to extract gold from three pits: North, South, and Gbongogo Main. Montage Gold, a Canada-based precious metals exploration and development company, owns 90% stake in the Koné Project. The government of Côte d’Ivoire holds the right to a 10% free carried interest.

The Koné project ranks as one of the highest-quality gold projects in Africa, given its sizeable low-cost production and long mine life. Construction activities at the Koné project have significantly ramped up, with the on-site workforce increasing from approximately 350 to 1,700 employees and contractors.

Metso: A Technology Partner for Sustainable Mining

Metso is a Finnish industrial machinery company, is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions, and services for the aggregates, minerals processing, and metals refining industries globally. They improve customers’ energy and water efficiency, increase their productivity, and reduce environmental risks with their product and service expertise.

Metso’s comprehensive range of feeders consists of apron feeders, belt feeders, grizzly feeders, pan feeders, and wobbler feeders that are available as standard or customized versions. Designed for versatility and safety, they help increase production capacity and lower operating costs.

A Multi-Faceted Investment

Montage Gold’s strategic investment in Metso’s mining technology encompasses several key areas:

Grinding Equipment: Metso’s delivery includes a large dual-pinion Premier™ grinding mill with an impressive installed power of 22MW and an HRC™ 2400e high-pressure grinding roll (HPGR), which combines energy-efficiency and high throughput while reducing operational costs.
Feeding Solutions: Montage Gold has selected Metso to deliver all feeders for its Koné gold project in Côte d’Ivoire. The delivery includes a complete range of feeders – apron, belt, and vibrating – designed to integrate seamlessly with Metso’s process equipment previously ordered for the project.
Dry Comminution Circuit: The feeders are a critical component of the dry comminution process, ensuring precise connectivity and protection across the circuit. Metso’s large belt feeders feature the Metso Trellex® EP2500 Feeder Plus design, delivering superior strength and extended belt life compared to competing solutions.

Optimizing Operations and Minimizing Risks

By choosing Metso as a technology partner, Montage Gold aims to optimize its operations in several ways:

Energy Efficiency: Metso’s equipment is designed to be energy-efficient, reducing power consumption and minimizing the project’s environmental footprint.
High Throughput: The advanced technology ensures high throughput, maximizing the amount of ore processed and increasing gold production.
Reduced Operational Costs: Energy-efficient equipment and reliable performance contribute to lower operational costs, improving the project’s profitability.
Seamless Integration: Metso’s solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure, minimizing interface risk and ensuring smooth operation.
Consistent Material Flow: Metso’s feeders will play a critical role in ensuring consistent material flow, protecting downstream equipment, and supporting efficient, uninterrupted production.

The Future of Gold Mining: Sustainability and Innovation

Montage Gold’s Koné Project exemplifies the future of gold mining, where sustainability and innovation are key drivers of success. By investing in Metso’s energy-efficient and high-performance mining technology, Montage Gold is not only optimizing its operations but also minimizing its environmental impact.

Metso says it saw record sales of stirred mills in 2025 as mining customers opted for energy-efficient grinding solutions. In minerals processing, there is growing demand for optimised technology combinations and multi-stage grinding to boost energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, as well as to improve productivity with optimized operating costs.

The growing preference for stirred milling technology extends not only to established markets but also to new regions where this technology has previously not been considered. Additionally, many existing concentrator plants are choosing to enhance their operations with add-ons to incorporate these solutions. Stirred mills are now increasingly being deployed in secondary and tertiary grinding applications, handling a wide range of ores including copper, gold, and iron ore.

A Call to Action

Montage Gold’s Koné Project is a testament to the power of strategic investments in mining technology. By partnering with Metso, Montage Gold is poised to become a leading African gold producer, delivering long-term value to its shareholders and contributing to the economic development of Côte d’Ivoire.