LONDON (ShareCast) - (Sharecast News) - Metals Exploration confirmed on Monday that its newly-acquired gold processing plant was en route to Nicaragua, ahead of schedule, as part of its development plans for the La India project.
The AIM-traded company said the Rock Creek process plant, purchased in March for $9.7m, had been fully disassembled and shipped from Nome, Alaska.

It said the ocean freighter departed on 31 July, nearly a month earlier than expected, and was due to arrive in Nicaragua by mid-August.

Overland transport to the La India project site was scheduled for completion in September, with plant erection activities set to begin in late October.

The Rock Creek facility includes a full suite of gold ore processing and concentrating equipment, such as crushers, conveyors, a grinding ball mill, a Sepro Falcon gravity circuit, a carbon-in-leach circuit, elution and smelting equipment, and laboratory facilities.

Metals Exploration said the plant was expected to process up to 1.4 million tonnes per annum, with potential expansion capacity to 1.8 million tonnes.

Darren Bowden, CEO of Metals Exploration, said the early shipment marked "another important milestone" in the fast-track development of La India.

"The efficient disassembly and early dispatch of the plant from Alaska is a testament to the commitment and capability of our team and partners," he said.

"We remain confident in our timeline to commence plant erection in October and maintain our goal of first gold production in the fourth quarter of 2026.

"Importantly, this continues to demonstrate our disciplined approach to capital deployment and reinforces our strategy to deliver near-term value while managing risk and cost."

At 1124 BST, shares in Metals Exploration were up 1.43% at 13.49p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.

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