Caledonia Mining (AIM:CMCL) produced 14,767 ounces of gold at Blanket Mine in Q1 2026, down from 18,671 ounces in Q1 2025.
The drop was expected because of the mining sequence and constrained access to higher‑grade, higher‑volume areas, the company said. Output was also hit by equipment availability issues and challenging ground conditions, even as plant performance held up — 202,217 tonnes were milled in the quarter with good processing availability.
To accelerate recovery, Caledonia is moving to a seven‑day operating week (up from six), has appointed a contractor to speed access to higher‑grade ore, and plans an increase in milling capacity following the commissioning of an additional ball mill in Q2 2026.
"We are actively addressing these challenges through several practical measures, including the acceleration of mine development, supported by the appointment of a contractor, to improve access to planned ore sources." Mark Learmonth said.
Caledonia said it remains comfortable with Blanket's 2026 production guidance of 72,000 to 76,500 ounces, forecasting a stronger second half as the initiatives take effect.
