Aris Mining begins Puruni Bridge works

Jun 08, 2026 News

…as 5.4M ounces Toroparu Gold Project advances

(Kaieteur News) – Canadian mining company Aris Mining Corporation has commenced key pre-construction activities for its large-scale Toroparu Gold Project in Guyana, including the construction of a bridge at the Puruni River crossing.

In an update published on June 4, Aris said work is progressing on several early-stage infrastructure initiatives, including road upgrades, camp expansion, and improvements to site access. The company also noted that it is expanding its on-site workforce as development activities accelerate.

“We’re also in the process of expanding the project team at site,” the company said. It further noted that the prefeasibility study is progressing well and remains on schedule for completion in the second half of 2026, supporting a potential construction decision in early 2027.

An aerial view of the 5.4 million ounces Toroparu Gold Project.

The Toroparu Project also located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), is one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Guyana. This project is being developed by ETK Inc. a subsidiary of Aris Mining.

The project is expected to produce an average of 235,000 ounces of gold per year over more than two decades, yielding approximately five million ounces of gold, 4.9 million ounces of silver, and 260 million pounds of copper over its mine life.

While Aris is embarking on a bridge at the Puruni River crossing, it should be noted that President Irfaan Ali during a recent government outreach in Bartica, announced that that construction will begin in August on a US$6 million bridge across the Puruni River. While the head-of-state did not disclose details on the project, he noted that it is expected to take eight months to complete.

Puruni River is a tributary of the Mazaruni River. The river flows through an area of rich mineral resources and dense forested vegetation. Mining and forestry activities are concentrated along the Puruni River and the Kartabu-Puruni Road, and as such, the river and road serve as a means of access to the resources within the area.

The Kartabu-Puruni Road, which travels from the Teperu Crossing at Itaballi at the mouth of Mazaruni River, is intersected by the Puruni River. Notably, the Kartabu-Puruni Road is a part of the road network that connects to the Linden-Lethem access Road. Currently, a pontoon system is used at the intersection to facilitate the crossing of the Puruni River.

Moreover, Aris has positioned its Guyana and Columbia-based gold projects Toroparu and Soto Norte as the key pillar in a broader strategy to reach annual gold production of one million ounces – placing Aris among a small group of global gold producers operating at that scale.

Kaieteur News reported that that the Toroparu project is expected to generate US$14.7 billion in gold sales based on a base gold price of US$3,000 per ounce over its 21-year mine life. The project’s Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) states that at a base gold price of US$3,000 per ounce, the project is expected to contribute US$2.2 billion in income taxes and US$1.2 billion in royalty payments to the Government of Guyana, bringing the country’s total projected earnings to US$3.4 billion.

ETK acquired the project through an agreement with Guyanese businessman Alfro Alphonso. Through an agreement between Alphonso and ETK Inc., referred to as the A&R Joint Venture Agreement, in March 2020, ETK exercised its option under that agreement and acquired the Option Interest, paying US$20 million to finalise the purchase. Meanwhile, the agreement allows Alphonso to retain rights to conduct alluvial mining on specific lands not tied to the Toroparu Project, along with access to certain roads and an airstrip built by ETK.

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Aris Mining, Puruni Bridge, Toroparu Gold Project

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