Kibali Accounts for 88% of Industrial Production in First Half of 2026
Kibali Gold Mine continued to dominate the Democratic Republic of Congo’s industrial gold sector during the first half of 2026, accounting for 88% of the country’s recorded industrial gold production, according to mining statistics.
The result reinforces Kibali’s position as the DRC’s leading industrial gold operation and highlights the highly concentrated nature of the country’s formal gold production, with the vast majority of industrial output coming from a single large-scale mine.
Located in Haut-Uele Province in northeastern DRC, Kibali produced the overwhelming majority of the country’s industrial gold during the six-month period. Its performance comes as the DRC continues to seek greater investment and development across its mining sector, including efforts to expand formal production and strengthen the contribution of mineral resources to the national economy.
Kibali’s Dominance Continues
Kibali’s leading position is not a recent development.
In 2025, the operation accounted for almost the entire industrial gold output of the DRC, producing approximately 673,000 ounces of gold during the year. Its scale, established processing infrastructure and long-term mine plan have made it the country’s principal source of industrially produced gold.
The mine is jointly owned by Barrick Mining and AngloGold Ashanti, with each company holding a 45% interest, while the remaining 10% is held by the Congolese state through SOKIMO.
The ownership structure gives the Congolese government a direct stake in one of the country’s most important gold-producing assets, while the international partners provide significant technical, operational and financial expertise.
A Major Contributor to the Formal Gold Sector
Kibali’s continued production is particularly significant because of the relatively small contribution from other industrial gold operations in the country.
Previous mining statistics illustrated the extent of this concentration. During the first quarter of 2025, Kibali was reported to have accounted for 99.5% of the DRC’s industrial gold production, while smaller operations including MCCR, Kimia Mining Investment and Sokomo contributed comparatively modest volumes.
The latest 88% share recorded for the first half of 2026 nevertheless demonstrates that Kibali remains overwhelmingly dominant, even as other industrial producers contribute to national output.
The figures also underline the distinction between industrial gold production and the DRC’s broader gold sector, which includes significant artisanal and small-scale mining activity. Industrial production represents only one component of the country’s overall gold economy.
Long-Term Investment at Kibali
Kibali’s importance is also reflected in Barrick’s ongoing investment strategy for the operation.
Barrick has outlined a new 10-year plan for Kibali, focused on maintaining production, replacing reserves and extending the mine’s long-term contribution to the regional economy.
The company has also reported continued exploration and reserve-replacement efforts as part of its strategy to sustain the operation beyond its current production profile.
Maintaining a large-scale gold mine over the long term requires continued investment in exploration, mine development, processing capacity and infrastructure. Kibali’s latest performance and longer-term planning therefore point to an operation being managed not simply around current production, but around sustaining its role in the DRC’s gold industry over the coming decade.
The mine remains on track, according to Barrick, to meet its 2026 production guidance.
Strategic Importance for Haut-Uele
Beyond its contribution to national gold production, Kibali has significant economic importance for Haut-Uele Province.
Large-scale mining operations generate demand for contractors, suppliers, transport services, accommodation, engineering, maintenance and other supporting businesses. They can also contribute to government revenues and infrastructure development through taxes, royalties and other economic channels.
For a relatively remote mining region, the continued operation of a large industrial mine can therefore have an impact well beyond the mine site itself.
Kibali’s performance also demonstrates the potential for large-scale mining investment to establish long-term industrial activity in areas where formal economic opportunities may otherwise be limited.
Concentration Creates Both Strength and Opportunity
The dominance of Kibali presents both a strength and a challenge for the DRC’s industrial gold sector.
On one hand, having a major, established operation producing at scale provides the country with a reliable source of formal gold production, employment, investment and government revenue.
On the other, the figures highlight the opportunity to attract additional investment into the country’s industrial gold sector.
The DRC has substantial gold resources, but unlocking more of that potential requires exploration, infrastructure, financing, regulatory certainty and the development of projects capable of progressing from resources into commercial production.
A broader industrial producer base would help diversify the country’s formal gold output and reduce the sector’s dependence on a single major operation.
A Leading Position in Africa
Kibali has established itself as one of Africa’s major gold operations, and its continued production gives the DRC a significant position within the continent’s gold mining industry.
Its performance in the first half of 2026 demonstrates the scale at which the operation continues to contribute to the country’s formal mining economy.
As Barrick and its partners pursue the next phase of Kibali’s development, the focus will remain on maintaining production, replacing reserves and extending the mine’s productive life.
For the DRC, the broader challenge is to build on the foundation provided by Kibali by encouraging the development of additional industrial gold projects.
With Kibali accounting for 88% of industrial gold production in the first half of 2026, the message from the latest figures is clear: the mine remains the backbone of the DRC’s formal gold industry, while the concentration of production highlights significant room for further industrial development across the country’s gold sector.
