Denver-based major gold mining firm AngloGold Ashanti expects to resume exploration at its Nugrus and Najd blocks in Egypt’s Eastern Desert in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026 after halting work in March. The company’s H1 exploration report cited “an undisclosed incident” as the reason for the suspension, without providing further details.
Moreover, AngloGold completed evaluation (desktop and technical field reviews) across four regional targets, Wadi Alam, Wadi Khariga, Abu Fanani and Kab Alabyad, and is conducting an ongoing assessment of the Little Sukari project, located about 27 kilometres (km) east of the operating Sukari gold mine within the Nugrus Block. The project is treated as a priority near‑mine target because it closely mirrors the main Sukari deposit and could supply low‑cost ore to the existing processing plant, potentially saving hundreds of millions in infrastructure spending.
AngloGold is actively conducting technical assessments, mapping and drill testing at Little Sukari to determine the size and grade of the discovery and whether it can be a sustainable satellite source for Sukari.
At the Sukari mine itself, the company completed roughly 20 km of drilling in H1 of 2026. Underground drilling focused on the Horus orebody in several zones and also tested the southern extension of the Osiris zone.
“Results showed an overall positive variance against the current block model for the Horus drilling, with encouraging results also received from previously unmodeled lodes at Osiris,” the company noted in the report.
Meanwhile, AngloGold began surface drilling at the Amun South target in mid‑June from inside the open pit. In addition, the company completed in Q2 geological assessments and modelling of regional targets such as Quartz Ridge and V‑Shear South to guide future drilling.
During the H1 of 2026, Sukari Gold Mine, jointly owned by AngloGold Ashanti and the Egyptian government, produced 232,000 ounces (oz) of gold in the first half of 2026, keeping production firmly on track to meet its full‑year target of 500,000 oz. That target would match the record output achieved in 2025.
Output of the mine, the largest in Egypt and the whole MENA region, is set to rise sharply in the second half of the year as operations move into higher‑grade ore zones, boosting volumes and reinforcing Sukari’s position as one of the region’s leading gold producers, AngloGold said on August 5.
AngloGold Ashanti acquired its stake in Sukari in 2024 through its acquisition of an Egypt-focused gold mining company, Centamin, and has since worked with Egypt’s Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority (MRMIA) to expand production and extend the mine’s operating life. It is an independent, global mining company with a diversified portfolio of operations, projects, and exploration activities across ten countries.
