AMN PLUS-August 04, 2026
In a detailed report, CNN spotlighted Ethiopia’s economic transformation, highlighting the country’s ambitions to expand its mining sector. CNN noted that “Ethiopia wants to become a mining superpower,” focusing on the country’s efforts to increase precious metals production.
The report highlighted the Kurmuk Gold Project, located in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of western Ethiopia, as one of the country’s largest mining investments. The project is being developed by Canada’s Allied Gold Corporation and is expected to become Ethiopia’s first large-scale gold mine.
Located in the hills of western Ethiopia, the site contains significant untapped gold deposits. Thousands of construction workers, engineers, and exploration teams are working on the development of the mine and its associated processing facilities.
Speaking to CNN, Brox Worku, General Manager of the Kurmuk Gold Project, said, “We are at the Kurmuk processing plant area where we bring in all the ore from two different peaks where we have the gold.” The report also visited the project’s exploration camp, where geologists analyze rock samples to identify and assess gold deposits. “This specific region has high-carat gold. It is good-quality gold that we have here,” said Mehiret Abebe, a senior geologist overseeing the exploration team. “Also, the gold exists by itself. It doesn’t have other minerals.”
The report noted that the project includes an on-site processing plant, allowing the ore to be processed at the mine rather than being exported for extraction elsewhere.
The mine is expected to produce 290,000 ounces of gold annually, equivalent to about nine metric tons. At current gold prices, the operation could generate nearly US$1.2 billion in annual revenue.
The report also noted that gold has become an increasingly important export commodity for Ethiopia. According to CNN, gold overtook coffee last year to become the country’s largest export earner.
By Leta Teresa
