RABAT, March 10 (Reuters) - Morocco's Compagnie Miniere de Touissit (CMT) has become the largest shareholder of the French Guiana-based gold producer Auplata SA after taking another 20 pct in a share capital increase, a statement from CMT said.
Auplata said last week it had launched a rights issue.
CMT now owns 27.02 percent, up from 7.8 pct stake and making it the top shareholder, the CMT statement said. It has been controlled by the French Mining Company OSEAD SAS and the Moroccan Infrastructure fund, a subsidiary of Morocco's Attajariwafa Bank.
Auplata SA produced 594 kg of gold in 2013 and has more than 700 square km of permits. It is also the biggest single shareholder in Vancouver-listed exploration firm Columbus Gold Corporation.
"Auplata will build many plants in the mining sites to improve the gold production after the capital increase" CMT's statement said.