Zijin Mining plans gold output push after record profit

Bloomberg News | January 2, 2026 | 7:55 am Top Companies China Copper Gold

Veliki Krivelj mine of Zijin Bor Copper. Stock image.

Zijin Mining Group Co. is planning double-digit growth for its gold and copper production in 2026, after surging prices and expanding operations propelled annual profit to another record.

China’s largest mining company, surpassed only by Rio Tinto Group and BHP Group in market value, said estimated net income jumped as much as 62% to 52 billion yuan ($7.4 billion) this year as copper, gold, and silver prices notched a series of all-time highs. The firm released preliminary earnings late on Tuesday.

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In 2026, Zijin Mining will target mined gold and copper output at 105 tons and 1.2 million tons respectively, it said in a statement. That would represent a year-on-year boost of 17% for gold and 10% for copper production.

The company aims to achieve a yearly 100-ton gold output target two years ahead of schedule, it said in a separate statement on Wechat. Acquisitions of gold mines in Ghana, Kazakhstan and expansion at its Julong copper mine in China’s Tibet region have driven production growth, it added.

Its recently spun off gold unit, Zijin Gold International Co., said in separate statement that estimated net income surged as much as 233% to $1.6 billion in 2025.

Zijin shares more than doubled to a record high this year and were up 3.2% at HK$36.50 at 9:48 a.m. Hong Kong time on Wednesday.