Benishangul-Gumuz · Western Ethiopia

Kurmuk
Gold
Project

A placer gold project rooted in one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most enduring gold-producing geological formations — the Arabian-Nubian Shield. Licensed, feasibility-studied, and designed for systematic expansion from artisanal-scale heritage to institutional-grade production.

Benishangul-Gumuz Region — Ethiopia — Kurmuk Gold Project
Region Benishangul-Gumuz
Zone / Woreda Assosa Zone · Kuremuke
Locality Agubela Kebele
Geological Belt Arabian-Nubian Shield
Licence Status SSSML · Active

A belt with
centuries of gold.

The Kurmuk District sits within the western Ethiopian Precambrian terrain — a geological province recognised as containing lithological components common to both the Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS) in the north and the Mozambique Belt in the south. This terrain hosts some of Africa's oldest and most productive gold-bearing rock formations.

Gold mining has a legendary history in this region. Ethiopian mines provided gold to the ancient Egyptian empire and historical accounts suggest connections to King Solomon's fabled mines via the Queen of Sheba. Today, gold occurs in Pan-African age schist belts and Tertiary basaltic lavas of the Benishangul-Gumuz regional state — a geological continuity that stretches across western Ethiopia and into Sudan.

Placer gold deposits are widespread across the Kurmuk river system — found along the Sirba, Boka, Dabus, Buci and their tributary systems. Artisanal miners in the region report consistent yields of 30 to 50kg per month, providing an informal but significant indication of the regional resource endowment.

600km
From Addis Ababa
1,160m
Altitude of deposit outcrops
830Ma
Age of low-grade rock formations
13m
Max sampled pay streak depth
30–50kg
Artisanal monthly yield (regional)
10yr
SSSML licence tenure + renewals

Arabian-Nubian Shield

One of Earth's
great gold provinces.

The Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS) is a Neoproterozoic juvenile crustal province that forms the basement of north-east Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is one of the world's major gold metallogenic provinces, hosting significant deposits across Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Eritrea.

The low-grade metavolcano-sedimentary rocks of western Ethiopia are considered the southern continuation of the Pan-African Arabian-Nubian Shield. Geochronological studies date these formations at 830 to 540 Ma — the same Precambrian interval responsible for world-class gold mineralisation across the broader ANS region.

The Kurmuk concession sits within this proven metallogenic province. Allied Gold's large-scale operation in the same Kurmuk corridor provides modern institutional validation of the resource endowment at scale.

01

Pan-African Age Host Rocks

High-grade gneiss migmatites and low-grade metavolcano-sedimentary rocks — the lithological foundation of ANS gold endowment across the region.

02

Quartz Vein Gold Mineralisation

Hydrothermal quartz veins of shear-hosted origin — the primary gold-bearing structure in the region and the source rock for downstream placer accumulation.

03

Placer Accumulation System

Gold liberated from quartz veins by weathering and transported by the Boka, Sirba and Dabus river systems — concentrating in alluvial terraces across several kilometres of river bank.

Geological Data Summary
Geological Province Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS)
Rock Classification Precambrian metavolcano-sedimentary
Gold Deposit Type Placer / Alluvial — shear-hosted origin
Primary Mineralisation Auriferous quartz veins (shear zones)
Secondary Mineralisation Gold collapse breccias — Boka area
Structural Setting Gneissic dome — ferruginous quartzite margin
Felsic Rocks Granitic-syenitic complex — quartz vein host
River System Boka, Sirba, Dabus, Buci tributaries
Institutional Comparator Allied Gold — same Kurmuk corridor

Three distinct
mineralisation types.

The Agubela Kebele concession area hosts three recognised types of gold mineralisation identified in the EGS feasibility study, each with distinct geological characteristics and exploration implications. Together they form a multi-layered resource system extending to 13 metres depth across the alluvial sequences.

Placer Alluvial Deposits
Natural concentration of heavy gold minerals by gravity and flowing water. Gold liberated from quartz vein source rocks by weathering, transported by river systems, and concentrated in stream beds, point bars and alluvial terraces across the Boka river catchment.
Primary Target
Shear Zone Quartz Veins
Auriferous quartz veins located along fracture zones with structurally controlled emplacement — the dominant mineralisation type in the study area. Very thick quartz veins observed upstream of the concession area, scattered across a wide ground covering several kilometres along the river bank.
Source Rock
Gold Collapse Breccias
Auriferous units composed of silica, barite and iron oxides — observed in the Boka area. Lithologically controlled and assigned to specific gold-bearing horizons produced by tectono-metamorphic episodes. Associated with meta-conglomerates, meta-sediments, and ferruginous meta-cherts.
Boka Area

5-Hectare
SSSML Concession

The licensed 5-hectare concession covers the alluvial gold bearing zone at Agubela Kebele, Kuremuke Woreda, in the Assosa Zone of Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State. The EGS feasibility study — prepared by Yosef Birhane Mining Consultancy and submitted to the Benishangul-Gumuz Mines Resource and Development Agency — confirms the viability of placer gold extraction at the licensed area.

Licence Type Special Small Scale Mining Licence (SSSML)
Licence Status Active · 10 Years + Renewable
Concession Area 5 hectares (0.05 km²)
Commodity Gold (Placer / Alluvial)
Deposit Type Alluvial / Placer — gravity concentration
Processing Method Chemical-free · Gravity-based
Sample Count 20–30 bulk samples
Sampled Depth 2m – 13m via test pits and hand auger
Assay Laboratory SGS Addis Ababa
Production Season November – May (dry season)
Artisanal Historical Yield 30–50 kg/month (regional — informal)
Initial Production Target 5–10 kg/month doré bars (conservative)
NBE Sovereign Offtake Spot rate · T+2 settlement · Zero credit risk
Export Licence Pathway Application triggered 30 days post first pour
Regulatory Authority Benishangul-Gumuz Mines Resource Agency
Quartz vein rock and alluvial material — Agubela Kebele concession, Kurmuk District
Quartz Vein Material · Agubela Kebele · Kurmuk District

From first pour
to large-scale.

The Kaku Mining roadmap is designed for disciplined, sequential growth — using each phase of production to validate the geology, build operating credibility, and generate the cash flow and data required to unlock the next stage. The programme progresses from licensed SSSML production through SGS validation to large-scale licence and JORC-compliant resource definition.

Phase 1 · Now
01
SSSML Production & First Pour
Bring the licensed 5-hectare alluvial concession into production. Establish first gold pour and commence NBE sovereign offtake. Conservative initial target of 5–10 kg/month doré bars. Export licence application triggered 30 days post first production.
Excavator, dumper truck and trommel deployed
Chemical-free gravity processing
First gold pour within 60 days of mobilisation
Conservative output: 5–10 kg/month doré bars
National Bank of Ethiopia sovereign offtake at spot rate
Export licence application triggered 30 days post first pour
Production season: November – May
Phase 2 · Months 2–6
02
SGS Bulk Assay & LBMA Pathway
Undertake a comprehensive SGS-certified bulk sampling and assay validation programme to support export compliance and international refinery onboarding.
20+ bulk samples across identified pay streaks
Depths 2m – 13m via test pits and hand auger
Fire assay (ppm/g/t) via SGS Addis Ababa
Gravity Recoverable Gold (GRG) testing
Results support export licence and LBMA onboarding
Phase 3 · Months 6–18
03
Multi-Site Expansion & Cash Flow Scaling
Replicate the production model across additional SSSML concessions in the same geological belt — building a cluster of producing sites generating multiple parallel cash flows.
50+ hectares accessible under additional SSSMLs
Local partner relationships securing additional licences
Target cluster of up to 10 producing sites
Operational infrastructure and team scale
Multi-stream NBE and export revenue
Phase 4 · 18–48 months
04
Large-Scale Licence & JORC Resource
Transition from SSSML to large-scale mining licence. Commission a JORC-compliant resource report on the wider Kurmuk geological belt — converting the geological opportunity into a quantified, investable resource.
Large-scale mining licence application
AusIMM-recognised Competent Person appointed
JORC-compliant Inferred Resource definition
Industrial processing equipment deployment
Institutional-grade offtake agreements

Large-Scale Vision

The case for
large-scale
development.

The Kurmuk geological belt is not a small story. Allied Gold's adjacent large-scale operation — in the same corridor as Kaku Mining's licensed concession — provides institutional validation of a resource endowment that extends far beyond what artisanal and small-scale mining can exploit alone.

The SSSML phase is the entry point — designed to establish production history, validate the geology through SGS assay, build operating credibility with the National Bank of Ethiopia, and generate the cash flow that funds the large-scale licence application and JORC resource definition programme.

Once a JORC-compliant Inferred Resource is defined across the wider Kurmuk belt, the project transitions from a junior alluvial producer to an internationally recognised exploration-to-production story — with the metrics required for institutional capital, development finance, and major mining company interest.

Current · SSSML Phase
5 Hectares · Licensed Production
Government-issued licence. EGS feasibility study. Gravity-based alluvial processing. NBE sovereign offtake at spot rate. First pour within 60 days of mobilisation. Export licence application triggered 30 days post first pour.
Near-Term · Multi-Site Expansion
50+ Hectares · SSSML Cluster
Additional SSSMLs accessible through local partner network in the same Kurmuk geological belt. Same mineralisation profile. Rapid replication of the production model across multiple sites.
Long-Term · Large-Scale Development
JORC Resource · Industrial Scale
Large-scale mining licence application. JORC-compliant resource report by an AusIMM-recognised Competent Person. Industrial processing infrastructure. Institutional offtake and development finance at scale. The same geological belt that hosts Allied Gold's operation.

Responsible
by design.

ENV
Chemical-Free Processing
Gravity-based extraction only. No mercury, no cyanide, no chemical reagents. Restoration and tree planting obligations on all worked land after quarrying.
SOC
Community Employment
Local workforce prioritised. Artisanal mining relations managed by Mesfin T. — 12 years experience in Benishangul-Gumuz. Significant local job creation across the Kuremuke Woreda.
GOV
LBMA & OECD Aligned
Compliance strategy aligned with NBE, OECD Due Diligence Guidelines, and LBMA Responsible Gold Guidance. SGS chain-of-custody from mine to market.

Kurmuk Gold Project · Kaku Mining PLC

Enquiries &
Dialogue.

For technical, geological, or partnership enquiries, contact us directly. All correspondence is treated with strict confidentiality.

info@kaku-mining.com

Kaku Mining PLC · Private & Confidential · All Enquiries Welcome