Johannesburg (Commodity Online): The Johannesburg-based First Uranium group has announced a 44% increase in gold production of 21374 ounces for the quarter ended September 30.

In a press note, the group said it produced 7952 ounces of gold from the Ezulwini Mine, a 110% percent increase compared to the previous quarter, and 13422 ounces from the Mine Waste Solutions tailings recovery project, a 22% increase.

It also sent two batches of uranium in the form of yellowcake (ammonium diuranate) for processing.

By next March, the company expected to complete its capital expansion programme and generate positive free cash flow from both operations.

Production at the recently commissioned uranium plant was on track and expected to deliver a second dispatch of yellowcake to the local calcining plant, building up an inventory of yellowcake for conversion and sale to a nuclear power utility.

At MWS, construction of the third gold plant module (Phase 2) and third stream of the flotation plant is proceeding on schedule for completion by June 2010, it said.