Wesdome Targets 400–500k oz After Record 185k Production | Anthea Bath
Episode description
Wesdome Gold Mines (TSX: WDO) President and CEO Anthea Bath says the company is entering 2026 as a debt-free, high-margin gold producer after delivering record 2025 production of 185,000 ounces and ending the year with $356 million in cash and zero debt. Speaking with Kitco Mining at the 2026 BMO Metals Mining & Critical Minerals Conference, Bath said Wesdome generated about $250 million in free cash flow in 2025 and expects to generate roughly $350 million in 2026 at budget assumptions below $4,000 gold. “Wes generated about $250 million in free cash last year,” she said.
With mill utilization currently running between 30% and 60% at Eagle River and Kiena, Wesdome is advancing a “fill the mill” strategy aimed at increasing throughput, extending mine life, and lowering unit costs through fixed-cost leverage without significant new mill capital. The company completed about 200 kilometers of drilling in 2025 and plans about 270 kilometers in 2026 across 250 exploration targets, with updated resource disclosures expected in June and technical reports expected in the second half of 2026. Bath said Wesdome is targeting mid-tier scale of 400,000 to 500,000 ounces annually while maintaining disciplined capital allocation and evaluating high-quality acquisition opportunities.
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01:19 - “Fill the Mill” Strategy and 30–60% Utilization
02:04 - Gold Price Leverage and Resource Expansion
03:52 - 270km Drill Program and June Resource Update
04:53 - Capital Requirements and Infrastructure Readiness
05:30 - $250M Free Cash Flow and Share Buybacks
06:49 - Path to 400–500k oz Mid-Tier Scale
07:33 - M&A Criteria and Tier-One Jurisdiction Focus
09:17 - Takeover Risk and Gold Sector Discipline
10:30 - Investor Feedback and Capital Returns
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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this podcast do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
