Guinea’s new gold mine hits 60% of annual output target in six months as production jumps

The June-quarter output was about 38% higher than the 39,367 ounces produced in the first quarter, when Kiniero was still in its early commercial production phase. The mine reached commercial production in February 2026 after its first gold pour in December 2025.

Predictive said Kiniero milled 2.2 million tonnes of ore at an average grade of 0.86 grams per tonne, while plant throughput averaged 1,113 tonnes per hour, equivalent to about 9 million tonnes per year.

That is well above the plant’s 6 million-tonne-a-year nameplate capacity. Gold recovery also improved to 90.5%.

The performance gives Kiniero first-half production of 93,619 ounces, putting the mine more than halfway through its 2026 guidance range of 157,000 to 174,000 ounces.

It also places the asset ahead of the 139,000-ounce annual production profile listed by Predictive for the mine over an initial nine-year life.

For Guinea, the ramp-up strengthens its position as one of West Africa’s most closely watched mining jurisdictions. The country is already central to global bauxite supply and is drawing fresh investor attention from gold developers seeking large, scalable projects in the region.

Kiniero is now a key cash-generating asset for Predictive Discovery following its merger with Robex Resources, a deal valued at about $1.45 billion. The merger combined Robex’s Kiniero mine with Predictive’s Bankan project, another major Guinea gold asset located nearby.

That combination is central to Predictive’s plan to build a larger West African gold producer. The company says its portfolio is anchored by Kiniero, the Nampala mine in Mali, and the Bankan project in Guinea, which it describes as one of Africa’s largest undeveloped gold projects.

Once Bankan enters production, Predictive is targeting annual output of more than 400,000 ounces by 2029 from its Guinea-led mining hub.

The timing is also favourable. Gold prices have remained elevated, boosting cash generation for producers and making new African mines more attractive to investors. In the first quarter, Kiniero sold or provisionally sold 32,306 ounces at an average realised price of $4,804 per ounce.

Predictive ended June with cash and bullion of A$530 million, about $365 million, giving the company a stronger balance sheet as it pushes Kiniero’s ramp-up and advances Bankan towards construction.

Predictive is expected to release a fuller operational update later this month.