Côte d’Ivoire: Fortuna Mining invests $109 million to boost production at Séguéla gold mine

Canadian mining company Fortuna Mining has approved a $109 million investment to expand the processing plant at its Séguéla gold mine in northwestern Côte d’Ivoire, with the aim of increasing annual production to more than 200,000 ounces from the second half of 2028.

The expansion will increase the plant’s processing capacity by 30%, from 1.75 million to 2.3 million tonnes of ore per year. The company also expects to improve the gold recovery rate to approximately 94%.

The project includes upgrades to the existing processing facilities and supporting infrastructure, as well as the development of the Sunbird underground mine. The underground deposit is expected to begin supplying ore to the expanded plant in 2028.

Fortuna said the investment would be financed through the mine’s operating cash flow. Construction and commissioning of the expanded plant are scheduled for the third quarter of 2028.

The expansion comes as Séguéla remains a key contributor to Fortuna’s overall gold production. The mine produced 33,744 ounces in the third quarter of 2026, down 13% from the same period a year earlier. Production was affected by equipment availability issues at a mining contractor and a temporary shutdown following a blockade by artisanal miners.

However, output for the first nine months of 2026 reached 117,443 ounces, representing a 1.7% increase compared with the same period in 2025.

The planned expansion is expected to strengthen the mine’s long-term production capacity and reinforce Côte d’Ivoire’s position as a major gold-producing country in West Africa.