Canadian miner, Lake Victoria Gold has moved a step closer to bringing its Imwelo Gold Project in Tanzania into production after beginning Phase 1 earthworks at the fully permitted mine, adding momentum to investment in one of Africa's biggest gold-producing nations.

The company said the first phase of construction includes upgrading the project's access road and preparing the processing plant site, while work on the construction camp is nearing completion.

Together, the activities lay the groundwork for the next stage of mine development.

The milestone comes as Tanzania continues to strengthen its position as one of Africa's leading gold producers. Gold remains the country's largest export, accounting for a significant share of foreign exchange earnings, while government efforts to attract mining investment have supported a pipeline of new gold developments in the country's prolific Lake Victoria Goldfields.

Lake Victoria Gold has mobilised earthmoving equipment to upgrade existing roads and prepare the plant footprint, including clearing vegetation, stripping and stockpiling topsoil, constructing berms and excavating trenches for site infrastructure.

Materials for the work are being sourced in coordination with Tanzanian authorities.

Construction of the mine camp is also approaching completion. Water storage and power systems have already been installed, plumbing has been completed and electrical works are advancing, while accommodation units are being fitted out. Rather than serving only during construction, the camp has been designed to become part of the permanent mine infrastructure, reducing future capital expenditure by avoiding duplicate facilities.

The project is being delivered under an engineering, procurement and construction management model led by City Engineering Company, a Tanzanian-owned contractor, with technical support from Sutton Consulting International. Lake Victoria Gold said the structure combines local execution with international expertise while supporting Tanzania's local-content objectives.

Imwelo is located in northwestern Tanzania's Lake Victoria Goldfield, close to several established mining operations, including AngloGold Ashanti's Geita Gold Mine.

The company also owns the nearby Tembo Project, which borders Barrick Mining's Bulyanhulu mine, giving it a presence in one of East Africa's most prospective gold belts.

The company has spent much of this year advancing the project toward construction, including completing additional drilling, confirming favourable metallurgy, strengthening its Tanzanian management team and securing regulatory approvals before mobilising equipment to site.

"Imwelo is moving beyond planning and mobilisation into visible, sequenced site execution," Lake Victoria Gold President and CEO, Marc Cernovitch said. "We are establishing the infrastructure in the order the project requires, while ensuring that early investments, including the camp, continue to serve Imwelo through construction and into operations."

Near-term work will focus on completing the construction camp, advancing road upgrades and plant-site preparation, finishing earthworks and continuing detailed engineering and procurement activities before the mine progresses to subsequent construction stages.