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Australian-based West African Resources (ASX: WAF) has announced the first gold pour from its flagship Kiaka gold project in Burkina Faso, marking a major operational milestone and solidifying its position as one of the leading gold producers in West Africa.
The Kiaka mine, located approximately 45 kilometers south of WAF’s already-operational Sanbrado gold mine, represents one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in the region. The project achieved its first gold pour in the third quarter of 2025, following successful construction, commissioning, and early-stage production activities.
The company confirmed that commissioning of the processing plant was completed on schedule. Key infrastructure including the semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mill and a vertimill was successfully installed and tested ahead of the initial pour. Pre-stripping and ore stockpiling had progressed steadily throughout late 2024 and early 2025, with over 17 million tonnes of waste removed and over 170,000 tonnes of ore stockpiled before commissioning.
West African Resources holds a 90% stake in the Kiaka project, with the remaining 10% owned by the Burkina Faso government. A 2022 feasibility study outlined an average annual production of approximately 219,000 ounces of gold over a projected mine life of 18.5 years, using conventional open-pit mining and carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing.
The total capital cost of the Kiaka project was fully funded through a combination of equity and debt financing. In mid-2023, WAF secured a US$265 million syndicated loan facility led by Sprott Resource Lending and Coris Bank. Additional capital was raised in early 2024 via an AU$150 million equity placement to institutional investors, including substantial participation from U.S., U.K., and Australian funds.
WAF Managing Director Richard Hyde called the gold pour a “transformational moment” for the company. “The successful first gold pour at Kiaka represents years of hard work by our teams in Burkina Faso and Australia. This is a proud achievement and an important milestone toward becoming a 400,000-ounce-per-year gold producer,” Hyde said.
The company is on track to ramp up to commercial production by August 2025. Combined with its existing output from the Sanbrado mine, WAF expects total gold production to exceed 420,000 ounces annually by 2026, positioning it among the top mid-tier gold producers globally.
From a national perspective, the development of Kiaka is a significant boost for Burkina Faso’s economy. The government anticipates a 4% rise in gold production this year, driven largely by new industrial-scale mines like Kiaka. Mining is Burkina Faso’s top export sector, contributing heavily to GDP and foreign exchange earnings.
In recent years, the country has sought to increase local participation in its mining sector through regulatory reforms, including changes to its mining code, new taxation frameworks, and plans for a state-backed gold refinery. The success of Kiaka financed through international partners but with strong national engagement reflects the government’s vision of building a more self-reliant, strategically controlled mining industry.
As operations ramp up and gold output scales, the Kiaka mine is expected to deliver extensive economic benefits, including local employment, infrastructure development, and increased government revenue. The project also represents growing investor confidence in Burkina Faso, even amid ongoing regional security and political challenges.
With the first gold pour now complete, West African Resources has entered a new chapter transitioning from a single-mine company into a multi-asset producer with long-term growth potential. The Kiaka project not only enhances WAF’s profile on the global mining stage but also signals continued foreign investment in Burkina Faso’s resource-rich future.