Cabral Gold Begins Production With First Pour at Cuiú Cuiú

Cabral Gold has transitioned from an exploration company to a gold producer following the completion of its first gold pour at the Cuiú Cuiú mine in Brazil. The production of approximately 1,130 ounces of gold initiates the operational ramp-up phase for the project.

"This moment for Cabral is the culmination of a lengthy process and is a first step in our journey aimed at unlocking the potential of the entire Cuiú Cuiú district," said Alan Carter, President & CEO of Cabral Gold, in a statement.

Operational Ramp-Up and Timeline

The company is scaling operations at the Phase 1 heap leach facility to reach a stacking rate of 3,000 tonnes per day. Management expects the project to achieve commercial production by the end of 2026.

Although the primary extraction infrastructure is active, the project remains in a commissioning phase. The dry circuit was finalized in July 2026, and the wet circuit is nearing completion to support full-scale processing.

"Our Phase 1 project, which processes gold-in-oxide material, has been shaped by continuous improvement and optimization while holding to a very tight schedule to first production and cash flow," said John Sestan, Vice President of Project Development at Cabral, in a company release.

What Is Heap Leaching?

The Cuiú Cuiú operation utilizes heap leaching, an industrial process for extracting precious metals from low-grade ore. In this method, ore is crushed and piled on a lined pad. A chemical solution, typically a dilute cyanide mixture, is dripped over the material. As the solution percolates through the heap, it dissolves the gold, which is then collected at the base of the pad and processed through a carbon adsorption circuit to recover the metal.

This technique is favored by junior mining companies because it requires lower initial capital expenditure compared to traditional milling and tank leaching plants. By focusing on gold-in-oxide material, Cabral intends to generate cash flow to support further exploration and development across the broader Cuiú Cuiú district.