Deccan Gold Mines Ltd has crossed a significant milestone in its international expansion with the inauguration of the gold processing plant at its Altyn Tor Gold Project in Kyrgyzstan, marking the transition of the project from exploration and development to production.
The plant was inaugurated online by Sadyr N. Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic. The ceremony was attended by senior representatives of Deccan Gold Mines and its Kyrgyz subsidiary Avelum Partner LLC at the project site, along with the Ambassador of India to the Kyrgyz Republic.
The milestone makes Deccan Gold the first Indian company to take a gold mining project in the Kyrgyz Republic through to the production stage.
From exploration to production
Altyn Tor represents a major shift in Deccan Gold’s business trajectory as the company moves beyond exploration towards operating a producing overseas mining asset.
The company said the project demonstrates the ability of an Indian mining company to identify, develop and operate mineral resources outside India, at a time when countries and companies are increasingly seeking diversified mineral supply chains.
Deccan Gold Mines Ltd Managing Director Dr. Hanuma Prasad Modali said: “Altyn Tor is a defining moment for Deccan Gold and Indian mining. Taking a project from exploration to production overseas requires capital, capability, perseverance and, above all, the trust of the host nation, its people, and partners.”
He said the milestone demonstrates that Indian mining companies can develop resources responsibly and compete globally.
“For Deccan Gold, Altyn Tor is not the destination – it is the beginning of a larger global journey,” Dr. Hanuma added.
Building a global resource portfolio
The Kyrgyzstan project comes as Deccan Gold broadens its portfolio beyond its traditional focus on gold exploration.
The company is pursuing gold and critical-mineral opportunities across India and international markets, including nickel-copper-PGE in Chhattisgarh, tungsten and tin in Spain, and lithium and tantalum in Mozambique.
Its strategy is increasingly centred on the entire mining value chain, spanning exploration and resource discovery, project development, production and downstream value creation.
Deccan Gold is also looking to build processing capabilities and technology partnerships for critical minerals, with the objective of capturing greater value from strategically important resources.
“India’s resource opportunity cannot be defined by its borders alone. We need stronger domestic production, complemented by Indian companies building capabilities and partnerships across global mineral supply chains,” Dr. Hanuma said.
“Our ambition is to build an Indian mining company capable of discovering, developing, and producing the gold and critical minerals that will matter to India and the world – responsibly and at scale,” he added.
First gold doré produced in August
The Altyn Tor project has already moved into the production phase, with the first gold doré produced in August.
Deccan Gold is now focused on progressing towards full-scale production. The next phase includes completion and commissioning of the leach circuit and tailings facility, revised mine planning and further resource drilling.
The inauguration therefore represents an inflection point for the company, shifting its story from domestic gold exploration towards a broader international mining and critical-minerals platform.
Located in the Tien Shan gold belt
Altyn Tor is located in the Naryn region of central Kyrgyzstan, around six hours by road from the capital Bishkek.
The deposit forms part of the Soltan Sary mineralisation zone, which extends for more than 300 km and lies within the major Tien Shan Shear Zone, a geological belt that hosts several significant gold deposits.
Gold mineralisation at Altyn Tor occurs in quartz and quartz-carbonate veins and stockworks.
For Deccan Gold, the Kyrgyz project provides an operating base in a major gold-bearing geological region while offering a platform from which the company can pursue its wider ambition of becoming an Indian-origin global mining company.