TBILISI, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan's leading goldmining company, Anglo Asian Mining, said on Thursday itsgold output rose 3.3% year-on-year in the first half of 2019 to34,349 ounces from 33,255 ounces.
Anglo Asian produces gold at Gedabek and other Azeri minesin a joint venture with the state in which the London-listedcompany holds a 51% stake.
It said total production of gold-equivalent ounces (GEO),which includes other metals, rose 7% year-on-year to 39,905 GEOfrom 37,349 GEO a year earlier.
Copper output rose to 963 tonnes from 587 tonnes, whilesilver output declined to 84,586 ounces from 84,785 ounces.
The company said in a statement that total revenues inJanuary-June 2019 rose 8% to $43.3 million "due to higher goldbullion and copper sales." Profit before tax was $10.3 million,up from $8.1 million a year ago.
Its production target for 2019 is in a range of 82,000 and86,000 GEO. Total production last year was 83,736 GEO.
Anglo Asian began production at Gedabek, the bigger of twomines it operates, in July 2009. The second mining project isGosha, which is situated 50 km north-west of Gedabek andcontains at least nine mineralised zones.
The company started a significant exploration programme atthe end of 2016 after making a new gold discovery at Ugur, 3 km(2 miles) from its Gedabek processing facilities.
It eventually plans to develop seven mines in westernAzerbaijan, with estimated gold reserves of 430 tonnes in total.(Reporting by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Alexander Smith)