Mining chief calls for spending discipline as gold surges above $3,000

Keep knowledgeable with free updates

Merely signal as much as the Mining myFT Digest — delivered on to your inbox.

The boss of a US-listed mining firm has warned the business to stay “disciplined” after the worth of gold surged to a report excessive, urging executives to keep away from a repeat of the errors made throughout an identical rally a decade in the past.

The feedback by Jorge Ganoza, chief government of Fortuna Mining, which operates in Latin America and west Africa, got here as the dear steel reached $3,500 a troy ounce final month, fuelling concern that miners could possibly be tempted to tackle too many initiatives.

Buyers have flooded into gold and different secure haven property, such because the Swiss franc, as US President Donald Trump’s tariff wars and assaults on Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell rattled markets.

However Ganoza, whose firm cited an “more and more difficult enterprise local weather” when promoting its mine in Burkina Faso final month for about $130mn, mentioned miners wanted to be “disciplined and technical” regardless of the “thrilling days” for the business.

“We, as captains of business, the individuals who determine the allocation of capital in the direction of new venture growth, must hold very disciplined,” he instructed the Monetary Instances. “Buyers have the posh of coming in and popping out however we’ve to mine day by day.”

Shares in Fortuna, which relies in Canada and in addition listed in Toronto, have soared 44 per cent in New York this yr to $6.05. Gold has climbed 29 per cent to $3,382 a troy ounce.

Ganoza mentioned whereas there was “mounting expectation” on gold’s prospects and alternatives for funding — a view he additionally subscribed to — these needed to be pursued “with the fitting initiatives in the fitting areas”.

It was “widespread to see initiatives that shouldn’t be developed get developed at excessive costs”, after which battle when the market turned, added the manager, who has led Fortuna because it was based in 2005.

“In earlier cycles [of high prices] a couple of decade in the past mining firms have been very complacent, considering that larger costs would handle every part,” Ganoza mentioned.

Fortuna had determined to exit the Yaramoko mine in Burkina Faso after receiving a “compelling” provide from a neighborhood group for the asset, which was because of shut early in 2026 as its mineral reserves neared the top, mentioned Ganoza.

Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, is likely one of the central Sahel states that are actually dominated by navy juntas who’ve enacted new mining codes demanding larger shares of mining revenues.

Operations within the area have been disrupted by a showdown between the governments and a few mining firms, notably Canada’s Barrick Gold, which is locked in a dispute with the Malian authorities.

Fortuna, which took over Yaramoko in 2021 via a virtually $900mn acquisition of gold miner Roxgold, will now concentrate on its property in Senegal, Ivory Coast and Latin America, Ganoza mentioned.

The Peruvian government mentioned that whereas Burkina Faso’s authorities had engaged with the corporate and ensured safety for its operations, Fortuna had “discovered tactically higher alternatives in different areas”.

“It will be important that the Burkinabe authorities does its finest efforts in offering stability to funding, notably in mining which is a long-term funding.”