VANCOUVER -- Asante Gold Corp. says it has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Kinross Gold Corp. to negotiate the potential purchase of all the Canadian mining company's interests in Ghana.

The Vancouver-based company says the negotiations would include Toronto-based Kinross's interest in the Chirano gold mine.

Kinross owns a 90 per cent stake in the mine, while the government of Ghana holds a 10 per cent interest.

The Chirano mine is an open-pit and underground mining operation.

It's located in southwestern Ghana near Asante's Bibiani gold mine.

Asante says Chirano was explored and developed in 1996 and began production in October 2005.