• Kinross Tasiast output falls 5% to 130,014 ounces

• Decline linked to lower-grade ore during mining transition

• Full-year production expected around 505,000 ounces

Canadian miner Kinross Gold produced 130,014 ounces of gold at its Tasiast mine in Mauritania in the first quarter of 2026, the company said in an operational update released Wednesday. The figure represents a 5% decline from a year earlier.

The decline reflects a mining transition phase at Tasiast since 2025, as the mill processes lower-grade ore. Kinross expects broadly stable production at the site in 2026 compared with the prior year, after output fell to 503,429 ounces in 2025 from 622,394 ounces in 2024. Full-year production at Tasiast is expected to reach about 505,000 ounces this year.

"Production was lower year-on-year, primarily due to the timing of ore processing at the mill, partly offset by higher grades resulting from mine planning," the company said.

Kinross did not provide revenue by mine for the period, making it difficult to assess the financial impact on Tasiast’s performance. This comes amid strong gold prices, which remain well above early-2025 levels.

Tasiast remains a key driver of Mauritania's mining industry. According to ITIE Mauritanie, the mine accounted for about 27% of the sector’s contribution on average between 2020 and 2024.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou