08:56 AM EDT, 04/16/2024 (MT Newswires) -- K92 Mining ( KNTNF ) on Tuesday said first-quarter production from its Kainantu mine in Papua New Guinea rose 28%, even as production was suspended for the last three weeks of the period after the death of an employee on the site.

The company said it produced 27,462 gold-equivalent ounces of gold and copper in the quarter, up from 21,488 GEOs in the year-prior period.

The increase comes despite the March 10 suspension of operations following the "non-industrial" death of an employee at the mine on the order of the Papua New Guinea government. The company resumed mining earlier this month.

K92 said the first-quarter production exceeded its expectations, but was below its output of 39,101 GEOs in the fourth quarter, as the mine and mill are going through an expansion.

"We are looking to build on the many positives from Q1 going forward, particularly the exceptional performance of the process plant, which delivered new monthly, weekly and daily processing records exceeding the Stage 2A Expansion plant design of 1,370 (tonnes per day) by 34%, 57% and 74%, respectively," Chief Executive John Lewins said in a release.

K92 shares on Monday closed up 0.4% on the Toronto Stock Exchange at $7.25, close to a 52-week high,