• Endeavour Mining plans to invest $540 million in gold exploration from 2026 to 2030.
• The company targets 12–15 million ounces of new mineral resources over the period.
• Endeavour aims to commission its sixth West African mine, Assafou, by end-2028.

Endeavour Mining said it will invest about $540 million in gold exploration between 2026 and 2030 to expand its resource base and sustain production across its West African operations. The company announced the plan on December 2 and set a discovery target of 12 to 15 million ounces of mineral resources over the period.

The company said the budget will support drilling programs aimed at locating 6 to 9 million ounces near existing mines and around Assafou, the future mine in Côte d’Ivoire. Endeavour currently operates Sabodala-Massawa in Senegal, Houndé and Mana in Burkina Faso, and Ity and Lafigué in Côte d’Ivoire. The company added that it plans to identify another 6 million ounces through new exploration projects in West Africa and in emerging regions such as Central Asia.

Endeavour stated, “Our exploration program aims to offset declining production and extend the life of our key mining assets, while identifying new exploration projects across our existing land packages and in highly prospective, immature gold provinces where we can leverage local partnerships to drive first-tier discoveries.”

Alongside exploration, Endeavour said it will continue to focus on operations and project development. The company plans to begin construction at Assafou in 2026 and target commissioning by late 2028. Endeavour expects the project, combined with optimization work across its portfolio, to support an approximately 36% increase in organic gold production between 2024 and 2030. The company remains the largest gold producer in West Africa and aims to reinforce this position through sustained exploration and disciplined project execution.

This article was initially published in French by Aurel Sèdjro Houenou

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum