Merdeka Gold boosts gold production via Pani gold mine
PT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk (EMAS), a subsidiary of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk (MDKA), is boosting gold production through the Pani gold mine in Gorontalo.
“EMAS is now entering an important growth phase, supported by increased heap leach production and the construction of a 12 Mtpa CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) facility. The development of these two facilities will be the main driver of increased production capacity at the Pani Gold Mine,” said EMAS President Director Boyke P Abidin in a statement received in Badung, Bali, on Wednesday.
Boyke said the company is increasing production capacity after the Pani Gold Mine entered the production stage in February 2026.
The mine recorded first gold production on 14 February 2026. Output reached 15,594 ounces in the second quarter of 2026, up from 1,818 ounces in the first quarter, in line with the ramp-up of heap leach operations.
The increase in production capacity is being accompanied by the development of processing facilities. Cell 1 and Cell 2 of the heap leach facility have been completed and their capacity is being increased through embankment raising until the end of 2026.
Construction of Cell 3 has also begun and its development is scheduled to continue in 2027. Once all stages are complete, the heap leach facility is targeted to have a capacity of around 62 million tonnes of ore.
At the same time, construction of the CIL facility with a capacity of 12 million tonnes of ore per year is ongoing. The facility is being prepared to complement heap leach operations while increasing gold recovery rates from around 80 per cent to more than 90 per cent.
The CIL facility’s capacity can be expanded in the long term to 24 million tonnes per year. Site preparation for the facility continues, with first concrete pouring targeted for early in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The expansion of processing capacity also requires the construction of supporting infrastructure, including tailings management facilities and additional electricity supply through cooperation with PT PLN (Persero).
The interconnection between mining activities, energy supply, infrastructure development, supporting services and supply chain needs opens up opportunities for broader economic activity around the mining area.
In the context of the regional economy, the development of a mineral resource-based industry can provide broader added value if the increase in production capacity is accompanied by the involvement of local workers and businesses in the supply chain.
Boyke said the ongoing construction of main facilities and supporting infrastructure is part of developing Pani as a large-scale gold mine with a long operational life.
Thus, the development of the Pani Gold Mine is not only related to increasing gold commodity production, but also demonstrates the growing capacity of mineral resource-based economic activity in Gorontalo.
The magnitude of its contribution to the regional economy will subsequently be determined by investment realisation, labour absorption, local business involvement, spending on goods and services in the region, and its linkages with other economic sectors.