Newmont Ahafo North mine poured its first gold pour on September 19, 2025, marking a critical milestone toward commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2025.
As this brings the project closer to full operation from which the Government of Ghana stands to make an estimated US$269 million a year from royalties and taxes, if the gold price rises to US$4,000/ounce and the upper production target of 325,000 ounces a year is achieved.
However, at a constant current gold price of US$3,767/ounce and production capped at its expected minimum of 275,000 ounce a year Ghana will earn US$92 million annually. Just as importantly, gross revenues from the mine – much of which will be repatriated to Ghana as foreign exchange inflows – are estimated to be anywhere between US$1 billion and US$1.3 billion a year.
This points to a significant increase for a Ghana’s gold sector whose gold exports have already surged to a record high of US$8.3 billion during the first half of 2025 alone, driven by the dramatic surge in gold prices (which have risen by nearly 26% since the beginning of this year alone and 41% over the past 12 months) and the impact of the recently established Gold Board which generated some US$1 billion in foreign exchange in the first full month of operations – June – alone.
First pour, achieved two weekends ago, follows the completion of key development phases, including ore stockpiling that began in late 2024, and the commissioning of critical infrastructure, such as processing circuits, mining support facilities, and a tailings storage facility. The project is currently ramping-up toward full operational readiness.
Newmont says its new Ahafo North mine is expected to deliver between 275,000 and 325,000 ounces of gold annually over a 13-year mine life.
Meanwhile, government’s actual take will depend on a number of factors which cannot yet be computed accurately, obviously including the annual production volumes and the gold price, but also including the profit margins achieved by Newmont from the mine. Indeed, the lower forecast for government’s share of the income generated by the mine assumes a 10% profit margin while the most optimistic forecast assumes a 20.9% profit margin.
The fiscal terms under which the new mine will operate include: a royalty on gross production (a sliding 3–5% under the original stability arrangement, effectively 5% once the stability period ends); a fixed corporate tax regime negotiated in the investment agreement (32.5% during the stability agreement period still in force but rising to 35% afterward); a Government “free carried interest” (a non-contributory entitlement equal to 10% of project net cash flow / effectively 1/9th of declared dividends under the agreement’s payment mechanics — with an agreed timetable and guaranteed advance payments in early years; and additional project-level obligations that effectively increase Government/host community receipts (e.g. a US$1 per ounce contribution plus 1% of net profit to the Ahafo Development Foundation and occasional guaranteed advance payments tied to price triggers).
Importantly though, these computations do not include payroll taxes, withholding taxes, customs duties, VAT on local purchases, surface rents and royalties to landowners although these typically would add a few percentage points to government’s gross revenue, depending on the company’s cost structure, local hiring and procurement. Government will also benefit indirectly through employment taxes and supplier taxes.
“The first gold pour at Ahafo North represents a major operational milestone that validates years of careful planning, engineering, and construction, and builds on the strength of our world-class portfolio,” said Tom Palmer, Newmont’s Chief Executive Officer. “As we progress toward commercial production, we remain focused on generating enduring value for our shareholders, workforce, host communities, and the government of Ghana.”
The project has created approximately 4,500 contracted jobs and once operational, will create approximately 560 permanent and 1,000 contracted roles.
Located at Afrisipakrom, about 30 kilometers from the Newmont’s Ahafo South operations, Ahafo North is part of the broader Ahafo lease acquired from Normandy Mining in 2002. Considered the best unmined gold deposit in West Africa, Ahafo North represents Newmont’s third mining investment in Ghana and, following the divestment of the Akyem mine in April 2025, will become the company’s second operational site in the country.
By Toma Imirhe
