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Wesdome says its Kiena mine in Val-d’Or, Quebec, could raise production by 10% to 15% without major new capital spending, mainly through better execution, more mining fronts and use of existing infrastructure. The company is also drilling 125,000 metres this year to replace reserves and test whether several mineralized zones form a larger system; the production increase remains a potential, not a confirmed outcome.
Wesdome Gold Mines says its Kiena mine in Val-d’Or, Quebec, could increase gold production by 10% to 15% without major new capital spending, using productivity improvements and infrastructure already at the underground operation. The possibility is part of a broader growth effort that includes 125,000 metres of drilling this year, although the production gain is a company target rather than a confirmed result.
Chief executive Anthea Bath told The Northern Miner in a video interview in late August that the potential increase would come from improved execution, additional mining fronts and technical optimization. Bath said the mine’s existing equipment and development work mean the plan would not require major new infrastructure investment. The source report does not set out a firm timetable for achieving the full increase.
Kiena is guided to produce 75,000 to 90,000 ounces of gold this year at a grade of 8 to 9.5 grams per tonne, according to the company figures cited in the report. The mine’s proven and probable reserves were reported at 2.6 million tonnes grading 8.7 grams per tonne, containing 711,000 ounces, as of Dec. 31, 2025. The mine produced nearly 73,000 ounces in 2025, while reserves rose from 701,000 ounces a year earlier, according to the report.
A new underground ramp opened in May has improved ore movement, Bath said, and additional mining fronts are intended to give operators more flexibility. The Presqu’île zone has begun contributing ore: Wesdome blasted its first production stope there in July and expects the zone to reach 250 to 400 tonnes per day once fully ramped up. That ore would support the company’s effort to use at least 80% of the mill’s daily capacity of 2,040 tonnes.
Existing Infrastructure Could Lift Output
The proposed production gain matters because it would rely primarily on better use of an operating mine and mill, rather than a major new build. If Wesdome can bring more mining fronts and ore sources online as planned, Kiena could deliver additional gold while making fuller use of its processing capacity. The company has not provided a confirmed schedule or a detailed cost estimate for the 10% to 15% increase, so the scale and timing depend on execution and mine performance.
The drilling program could also affect how investors and local mining stakeholders view Kiena’s longer-term potential. Wesdome is testing targets near existing workings, which may be easier to incorporate into mine plans, alongside zones that could take longer to develop. Those exploration prospects remain distinct from the mine’s booked reserves and current production guidance; drilling results do not by themselves establish that a target can be mined economically.
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Kiena’s Production and Reserve Base
Kiena is an underground gold operation with a stop-start history spanning about four decades. Wesdome returned the mine to commercial production in 2022. The company’s stated “Fill-the-Mill” strategy aims to use at least 80% of the mill’s 2,040-tonne-per-day capacity, with Presqu’île among the sources expected to add feed.
Wesdome plans 125,000 metres of drilling at Kiena this year, both to replace mined reserves and to explore for additional resources. A property-wide review identified about 100 targets, which the company ranked in part by their proximity to existing infrastructure and potential to become mineable resources. The work follows a June reserve update that established a reserve-based mine plan through 2033, according to the report.
One longer-term area, Kiena East, includes Shawkey 10, Shawkey Mine, Zone 134 and Dubuisson. In results announced Sept. 16, the company reported that drill hole SH-26-001 intersected 106.5 metres grading 3.1 grams of gold per tonne at Shawkey 10, beginning 387 metres downhole. The reported interval is a core length with an uncapped grade; the capped grade was 2.6 grams per tonne. Wesdome said the drilling is intended to help establish an initial resource and test whether the zones connect.
“We now know that Kiena is not merely a small cigar. We know that Kiena is a cigar box, and we don’t know how many boxes. We know it’s significant.”
— Anthea Bath, Wesdome Gold Mines chief executive, speaking to The Northern Miner
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Production Lift Still Depends on Execution
The 10% to 15% production increase is potential upside, not a reported increase already achieved. The source material does not specify when Kiena might reach that level, the annual ounce total it would represent, or a detailed estimate of the operating costs involved. Wesdome’s near-term guidance remains 75,000 to 90,000 ounces for the year cited in the report.
It is also not yet clear how much of the 125,000-metre drilling program will convert into additional reserves or resources. The Shawkey 10 intercept is a drill result, not a mineral resource estimate, and the company is still testing whether Kiena East’s separate zones connect. Any future mine plan would depend on further drilling, technical work and economic evaluation.
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Drilling and Mine Development Continue
Wesdome’s next steps are to continue the 125,000-metre drilling program, develop the Presqu’île zone toward its expected production rate, and improve throughput using existing mill capacity. Drilling near current workings is being prioritized for potential inclusion in mine plans, while Kiena East is being tested as a longer-term exploration area.
Further company updates should clarify whether the operational changes are translating into higher output and whether exploration supports additional resources. Until Wesdome reports those results, the proposed production lift and the broader district-scale concept remain plans under evaluation.
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Key Questions
How much could Kiena’s production increase?
Wesdome says production could rise by 10% to 15% through productivity improvements, additional mining fronts and technical optimization. The company has not confirmed that increase has been achieved or given a firm timetable for it.
Would the proposed increase require major new spending?
Bath said the plan would make use of existing infrastructure and capital, rather than require major new infrastructure investment. The source report does not provide a detailed cost estimate for the operational work.
What is Wesdome drilling for at Kiena?
The company plans 125,000 metres of drilling to replace mined reserves and explore targets across the property. It is testing both areas close to current workings and longer-term prospects, including the Kiena East zones.
Does the Shawkey 10 drill result establish a new resource?
No. The reported 106.5-metre intercept is a drill result, not a resource estimate. Wesdome says drilling is intended to help establish an initial resource and test whether nearby zones are connected.
What is Kiena’s current production guidance?
The report cites company guidance of 75,000 to 90,000 ounces of gold for the year, at a grade of 8 to 9.5 grams per tonne. That guidance is separate from the proposed 10% to 15% potential increase.
Source: rss
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