Desert Gold Ventures Inc. has delivered a 200 tonnes-per-day gravity processing plant and a 650 kVA generator to the Barani site at its 100%-owned Senegal Mali Shear Zone Project in western Mali.

The delivery shifts the company's previous position. In May 2026, Desert Gold had set a plant commissioning target of July 19, 2026. The new schedule defers plant commissioning through late October 2026 and initial processing to November 2026, with initial gold recovery targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.

The schedule revision follows project execution hurdles during 2026, which included significant ocean-freight delays, regional fuel-supply constraints, limited availability of key construction materials and seasonal weather impacts that pushed activities into the rainy season.

The current construction program focuses exclusively on the initial 200 tonnes-per-day gravity plant at Barani. This differs from the larger development scenario evaluated in the November 2025 preliminary economic assessment, which contemplated approximately 1,200 tonnes per day of gravity and carbon-in-leach processing across Barani and Gourbassi.

To fund the commissioning of the initial plant at Barani, Desert Gold closed a C$7,181,800 private placement offering in February 2026.

“The delivery of the processing plant and generator to Barani represents a crucial project milestone. We have worked through shipping delays, regional fuel-supply constraints, material shortages and seasonal weather conditions. Nevertheless, our team continues to materially advance the Barani project under extremely difficult working conditions, and I commend them for their efforts and dedication to this project. Our immediate focus is completing the remaining civil works, erecting and commissioning the plant, and progressing through the initial ramp-up period. With the end of the West Mali rainy season in sight, we expect a significant increase in productivity at site. We continue to advance all activities responsibly and in accordance with applicable safety, environmental, community and regulatory requirements.”

— Jared Scharf, President and CEO

Near-term operations involve completing remaining civil works and plant erection during September and October 2026. The company notes it has not established Mineral Reserves at Barani, and the decision to construct and commission the plant was not based on a feasibility study of Mineral Reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability, which carries an increased risk of economic or technical failure.

Read the full announcement: Desert Gold Provides Barani Mine Construction Update