VANCOUVER – West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. has officially declared commercial production at its wholly-owned Madsen Gold Mine, a significant step forward for the company operating in Ontario's prolific Red Lake mining district. The milestone, effective January 1, 2026, was announced on January 12, 2026.
A Major Milestone Achieved Ahead of Schedule
The declaration of commercial production follows a successful and rapid operational ramp-up. The key internal benchmark was met in December 2025, when the Madsen mill processed an average of 689 tonnes per day. This figure represents 86% of the mine's permitted capacity of 800 tonnes per day, comfortably exceeding the company's requirement of 30 consecutive days at 65% or greater of capacity.
President and CEO Shane Williams hailed the achievement, stating it was reached just seven months after the completion of a bulk sample program. "Achieving commercial production is a major milestone for any producer," Williams said, crediting the site operations team for a "responsible and methodical mine ramp up." He also extended gratitude to the Lac Seul and Wabauskang First Nations and the Red Lake community for their ongoing support.
Strong Operational and Financial Performance
The December performance was robust across all key metrics. The mill processed 21,389 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 4.94 grams of gold per tonne. With mill recoveries averaging an impressive 94.6%, the operation yielded 3,215 ounces of gold for the month.
The positive trend was evident throughout the fourth quarter of 2025. Over Q4, the mine produced 49,162 tonnes (averaging 534 tpd) at a grade of 5.06 g/t Au, recovering 7,379 ounces of gold with a 95% recovery rate. The company poured 7,200 ounces in Q4, which were sold at an average price of US$4,150 per ounce, generating US$30 million in revenue.
For the full 2025 year, Madsen poured a total of 20,000 ounces of gold, sold at an average of US$3,650 per ounce for total sales of US$73 million. The company finished the year with a strong financial position, holding CAD$46 million in cash and gold receivables.
Looking Ahead: Ramp-Up Continues into 2026
West Red Lake Gold is not resting on this achievement. Williams indicated the company will "continue to ramp up from this strong base," with an anticipation of reaching sustained permitted capacity by mid-2026.
The feed for the mill in the first quarter of 2026 is expected to come predominantly from the high-grade 4447 zone in the South Austin area, which was defined in 2025. The company forecasts the mill feed will average over 6 grams per tonne gold during Q1 2026, setting the stage for continued strong production.
The Madsen Mine's transition to commercial production solidifies West Red Lake Gold's position as a new Canadian gold producer and marks a new chapter of sustained operations in the historic Red Lake camp.
