Inside North America’s New Senior Gold Producer

Equinox Gold and Orla Mining have completed a company merger which is set to provide North America with a new senior gold producer.

According to Equinox Gold, the company combination is expected to produce around 1.1 million ounces of gold per year.

This total is projected to exceed 1.9 million ounces once the projects within North America enter full development.

Equinox Gold and Orla Mining merger

In May 2026, Equinox Gold and Orla Mining announced a definitive arrangement agreement to create a new North American senior gold producer.

Equinox Gold shareholders then agreed to purchase all remaining shares of Orla Mining and complete the final transactions on 31 July 2026.

Around 1.1 million ounces of gold are expected to be produced each year and the implied market capitalisation is US$18.5bn, according to Equinox Gold.

The newly-combined company will produce its gold from a portfolio of six North American mines.

Equinox Gold revealed that Canada will provide an estimated 685,000 ounces in 2026 through its Greenstone mine in Ontario, Valentine mine in Newfoundland and Labrador and Orla’s Musselwhite mine in Ontario.

Further growth is expected to come through the Valentine Phase 2 expansion in Canada, alongside projects at Castle Mountain and South Railroad in the US and Los Filos and Camino Rojo underground in Mexico.

Chuck Jeannes, Chairman of Equinox Gold, says: “We have created North America's new senior gold producer with over 60% of production coming from three long-life mines in Canada, complemented by a portfolio of high-quality operations.”

Change in leadership at Equinox

The merger between Equinox Gold and Orla Mining comes at a time of transition for the Canadian gold mining company.

Ross Beaty has stepped down as Chairman, just eight years after founding the company in 2017.

Ross Beaty says: “While I am stepping down as Chairman, I am not stepping away, and I look forward to contributing to the company’s continued success as Special Advisor to the Board.”

The Chairman position is not the only shift within the company, as Chief Executive Officer Darren Hall will retire on 31 October 2026.

Jason Simpson, who worked at Orla Mining previously, will take over after a three-month transition period.