ACG Metals' Patented Process Boosts Gold Yield, Slashes Cyanide Use

LONDON, UK – July 01, 2026 – In a move that sends ripples through the mining industry, ACG Metals today announced a significant operational breakthrough at its Gediktepe Mine in Türkiye. The company has successfully implemented a proprietary, newly-patented recovery process that simultaneously increases gold recovery by a full 10 percentage points and slashes the consumption of highly toxic cyanide by nearly half. The innovation promises not just a healthier bottom line for ACG, but a potential new benchmark for environmentally responsible mineral extraction.

Over a 14-month period of commercial-scale testing, the company sustained gold recovery rates of approximately 85%, a substantial jump from the previous 75%. This leap in efficiency was coupled with a staggering 45% reduction in cyanide consumption, reduced processing times, and consequently, lower operating costs. This dual victory of economic and ecological gain, now protected by a Turkish patent with applications pending in 35 other nations, showcases a tangible advancement in a sector constantly striving to balance productivity with sustainability.

The Science of Smarter Mining

At the heart of this announcement is a proprietary technical approach that enhances the performance of heap leaching, a common method for extracting precious metals from low-grade ore. In a typical heap leach operation, a cyanide solution is trickled through a large pile, or “heap,” of crushed ore, dissolving the gold and silver. The resulting solution is collected and the metals are recovered. While cost-effective, heap leaching has historically offered lower recovery rates than more intensive methods like carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing, which can reach upwards of 96% recovery.

ACG's achievement of boosting its heap leach recovery from 75% to 85% is a significant metallurgical feat. This 10-point improvement directly translates to more gold extracted from the same amount of rock, fundamentally altering the economics of the Gediktepe operation. However, the true game-changer may be the concurrent 45% drop in cyanide use. For decades, the mining industry has grappled with the environmental risks of cyanide, a highly effective but toxic chemical. Innovations have emerged, such as recycling systems that can cut consumption by up to 35%, but ACG's reported reduction surpasses many existing benchmarks. By developing a process that requires far less of this hazardous reagent, the company has directly addressed one of the industry's most persistent public and regulatory challenges.

While the company remains tight-lipped about the specific chemistry of its patented “new product,” the results speak for themselves. The process delivers what metallurgists call “faster kinetics”—meaning the gold dissolves more quickly—which shortens the leach cycle time. This trifecta of higher yields, lower reagent costs, and faster processing creates a powerful economic engine, driving stronger cash flow and improved margins from the mine’s remaining oxide ore reserves.

From Gold Gains to a Copper-Focused Future

This innovation is far more than a one-off optimization for a single gold mine; it is a critical enabler of ACG Metals' broader corporate strategy. The company, which acquired the Gediktepe mine in September 2024, has a clear vision: to transition into a high-margin, copper-focused producer. The increased cash flow generated from the more efficient gold operation provides vital capital and operational confidence as ACG plows ahead with its ambitious sulphide expansion project, slated to begin commercial copper and zinc production in 2026.

In a statement, Artem Volynets, Chairman and CEO of ACG, framed the achievement as a testament to his team's capabilities. “These proprietary improvements in heap leach performance demonstrate the strength of our world-class technical team,” he said. “As we move into the sulphide ramp-up phase and copper production, disciplined process control and recovery efficiency will be key to delivering performance and optimising cash flow.”

The financial underpinnings for this transition appear robust. ACG reported a strong 2025, with C1 cash costs falling to an impressive US$455 per gold equivalent ounce and a healthy cash position of US$144 million at year-end. The company’s projected copper production costs of around US$1.99 per pound would place it in the first quartile of the global cost curve, making it highly competitive. This patented process adds another layer of operational excellence, validating the company’s internal expertise and its ability to deliver on complex metallurgical challenges ahead of its pivot to copper.

A New Standard for Sustainable Mining

The environmental implications of ACG's breakthrough are profound. The 45% reduction in cyanide use represents a major step forward in mitigating the ecological risks associated with gold mining. Less cyanide being transported, stored, and used on-site inherently reduces the potential for accidental spills or contamination of soil and water systems. It also lessens the burden on water treatment facilities and the chemical load in tailings, aligning with a global push for greener and more sustainable resource extraction.

This achievement reinforces ACG's stated commitment to strong ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles. In an era where investors and regulators are increasingly scrutinizing corporate environmental footprints, demonstrating a tangible reduction in chemical dependency provides a powerful competitive advantage. It not only improves a company’s risk profile but also strengthens its social license to operate—the ongoing acceptance of a company's operations by its employees, stakeholders, and the general public.

By successfully intertwining enhanced profitability with a smaller environmental footprint, ACG Metals is authoring a compelling narrative. The company is proving that economic incentives and ecological responsibility are not mutually exclusive but can be powerful, synergistic drivers of innovation. This success at Gediktepe could serve as a model for other operators, potentially spurring wider industry adoption of technologies that reduce reliance on hazardous materials.

The Road Ahead: Sulphides and Strategic Growth

Looking forward, ACG Metals intends to apply its proprietary optimisation approach to the more complex sulphide and transitional ores at Gediktepe. Processing sulphide ores for copper and zinc presents different metallurgical hurdles than oxide gold recovery, typically requiring flotation circuits and smelting. The company's confidence in its technical team, now bolstered by a patented success, is crucial as it navigates this next phase. Construction on the sulphide expansion is already well advanced, with the new flotation plant expected to fire up in August 2026.

Beyond the primary expansion, the company is also advancing an “Enriched Ore Treatment Project” to extract value from stockpiles previously considered waste, further showcasing its commitment to maximizing resource efficiency. This project is expected to add another 57,000 tonnes of copper equivalent production between 2026 and 2030. These organic growth projects, powered by technical ingenuity, are foundational to a much larger ambition. The company's leadership has openly stated a goal of building a 200,000-300,000 tonne-per-year copper producer through strategic acquisitions, leveraging its operational expertise and strong financial footing to scale rapidly in the Tethyan Copper Belt. This recent breakthrough is not just an operational win; it is a declaration of capability that will feature prominently as ACG Metals pursues its transformation into a major player in the global copper market.