• Zijin targets 8.5 tonnes gold at Ghana’s Akyem in 2026

• Output rise follows $1 billion acquisition from Newmont in 2025

• Expansion boosts processing capacity, supports revenue as gold prices climb

Zijin Gold International aims to produce 8.5 tonnes of gold at Ghana's Akyem mine in 2026, up from 5.1 tonnes last year, as the Chinese company ramps up operations at the site it acquired about a year ago from U.S. miner Newmont Corp.

The deal, finalized in April 2025 for approximately $1 billion, gives Zijin a presence in Africa to complement its existing portfolio of gold assets in Colombia, Suriname and Australia. This is the mine's first full year under Zijin's ownership, with optimization work under way to lift output.

Zijin Gold said it has launched initiatives to modernize existing infrastructure and expand extraction capacity. The plan includes increasing the processing plant's capacity to more than 13 million tonnes of ore per year, from 8 million currently. The company did not disclose the cost of the project, which is expected to drive this year's projected production increase.

The production ramp-up comes as gold prices rise. Akyem generated $609.1 million in revenue in the last fiscal year. Ghana will also benefit, receiving a share of the mine's revenues through royalties and taxes, including corporate income tax.

Separately, Zijin is already looking to expand its presence in Africa through the acquisition of Canadian miner Allied Gold, which operates three gold mines in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali and plans to start production at a fourth mine in Ethiopia this year.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou