TORONTO — Agreements between Centerra Gold Inc. and the Kyrgyz government on the Kumtor gold mine have expired without ratification, extending delays at the project.

Gold production at the mine will continue, but exploration on the project's Southwest and Sarytor licences has been halted by the country's State Agency on Geology and Mineral Resources Management, the company said Monday.

Centerra said it will now resume an international arbitration process to resolve disputes over Kumtor.

Centerra and parent company Cameco Corp. said earlier this month they had expected a framework agreement to be ratified late last week.

The three-way deal was aimed at reducing Cameco's majority stake in Centerra and increasing Centerra's concession in Kyrgyzstan by more than 250 square kilometres.

The agreement included a reduction in Cameco's stake in Centerra to 41 per cent, while the Kyrgyz government's holding would grow to 29 per cent and public shareholders would own the remaining 30 per cent.

Centerra and the government also agreed to a simplified tax rate for Kumtor.

“The terms of the agreements were carefully negotiated to meet the objectives of all parties,” Cameco, the world's largest uranium miner, said in a release.

“It is unfortunate the agreements could not be concluded.”

Shares in Cameco were down 12 cents, 1.5 per cent, at $8.73 in thin morning trading at the Toronto Stock Exchange.