West African Resources (ASX:WAF) has kickstarted the 2026 financial year with a robust March quarter, reporting total group gold production of 107,728 ounces.
The unhedged producer capitalised on surging precious metal prices, offloading 104,145 ounces at a realised price of US$4,945 per ounce.
The performance keeps the company firmly on track to meet its annual guidance of 430,000 to 490,000 ounces, underpinned by steady output from its Sanbrado and Kiaka production centres in Burkina Faso.
At the Sanbrado Gold Production Centre, operations delivered a balanced contribution from both open-pit and underground sources.
The M5 North Pit saw a 128% surge in mined ounces compared to the previous quarter, while the M1 South underground mine produced 27,320 ounces at a high grade of 7.4g/t Au.
Although underground output was slightly lower than the previous quarter due to reduced tonnes and grade, the company expects production to ramp up as more stoping areas become available.
Meanwhile, development at the Toega open pit is progressing well, with pre-stripping activities commencing late in the quarter.
Processing remains a highlight for the group, with the Sanbrado plant maintaining a high recovery rate of 93.4% from 715kt of ore.
While Q1 production was 15% lower than the preceding quarter—primarily due to a lower mill grade—the result remains consistent with the company's internal modelling.