Centamin Plc achieved record production in the third quarter of 156,533 ounces of gold, a 5% increase year over year, at its Sukari gold mine in Egypt.

Open pit ore production increased to 4.8 million tonnes in the quarter, compared to 2.9 million tonnes in the third quarter of 2016, the company said in its preliminary results released Oct. 9.

The underground operation delivered 302,000 tonnes of ore at an average mined grade of 7.98 g/t, compared to 255,000 tonnes in the year-ago quarter.

The run-of-mine ore stockpile balance increased by 899,000 tonnes to 1.4 million tonnes at the end of the period.

Centamin maintained its production guidance of 540,000 ounces for the full year.