West Red Lake Gold Mines achieved commercial production at its fully owned Madsen gold mine in the Red Lake gold district of northwest Ontario on New Year’s Day. 

The achievement followed the Madsen mill meeting its operational requirements in December 2025, operating at 86 per cent of its permitted 800 tonnes per day. The company also reported strong mill recoveries, averaging 94.6 per cent during the month, resulting in the production of 3,215 ounces of gold. 

Shane Williams, president and CEO of West Red Lake, said in a Jan. 12 news release that Madsen reached commercial production seven months after completing its bulk sample, and added that the operation is expected to achieve sustained permitted capacity by mid-year. 

Madsen poured 20,000 ounces of gold last year, sold at an average price of US$3,650 per ounce, for total revenue of US$73 million. The company expects to release its 2026 guidance during the first quarter. 

“The potential to continue creating value at Madsen through multiple opportunities makes this achievement of commercial production especially exciting,” Williams said. 

He added that drilling is under way at the nearby Fork deposit, located around 250 metres southwest of Madsen, with the aim of bringing the deposit into the mine plan later this year. The shaft is nearing operation and work to date has revealed a path to potentially increase shaft tonnage significantly in the medium term.

Williams also said the company is delineating a new high-grade zone known as the 904 Complex in the Lower Austin area of the property. Ore from the site’s 4447 area is expected to supply the majority of mill feed through the first quarter of this year. 

The road to restart 

Madsen operated intermittently between 1938 and 1999, producing more than 2.5 million ounces of gold over its lifetime. The mine was restarted by Pure Gold Mining in 2021, before being placed on care and maintenance in 2022 after the company became insolvent and entered creditor protection.  

West Red Lake acquired the approximately 4,700-hectare property in 2023 and announced the resumption of operations in May 2025, with the mine’s restart initially targeting 500 tonnes per day and progressively increasing throughput over the year.  

In addition to Madsen, West Red Lake holds the Rowan property in the Red Lake gold district, a small, high-grade deposit that the company aims to advance into production.