At the Diggers & Dealers conference in Australia, Matthew Crawford, Gold Fields’ vice president of greenfields exploration, called on major gold producers to take a more active role in early-stage discovery. Historically, junior miners and prospectors have driven grassroots exploration, but Crawford warned that the industry is not replacing mined ounces quickly enough. He urged senior companies to increase their involvement by providing capital, technical expertise and patience for long-term programs.
Crawford argued that larger producers have a responsibility to “lean in” where juniors cannot, especially in greenfields settings that require significant investment and extended timelines before results materialize. He noted that discovery rates across the gold sector are insufficient to sustain future production without greater participation from companies with deeper balance sheets and advanced technical teams. By committing resources to early-stage work, majors can help generate the pipeline of new deposits needed to support long-term supply.
Gold Fields is practicing what it preaches by expanding its exploration footprint across multiple jurisdictions. The company has increased activity in Australia and is developing programs in Chile and Peru, as well as entering Canada. In Queensland, Gold Fields initiated its first drilling campaign since 2013, signaling renewed focus on domestic opportunities. These efforts reflect a broader strategy to diversify discovery risk and tap underexplored districts with meaningful potential.
Strategic transactions are also part of Gold Fields’ approach to securing future production. The company is pursuing full ownership of the Gruyere mine through a proposed US$3.7 billion acquisition of Gold Road Resources, consolidating operations and growth potential at a high-quality asset. Other projects highlighted in the company’s portfolio include the low-cost Salares Norte operation in Chile, which contributes attractive margins, and the Windfall project in Canada, a significant 7.4-million-ounce deposit that adds scale to Gold Fields’ reserve base.
Crawford emphasized that capital alone is not sufficient; technical capability and a long-term mindset are equally important. Early-stage exploration often involves high geological uncertainty, complex permitting and community engagement, and lengthy evaluation cycles. Majors can bring experienced teams, advanced geoscience tools and the financial tolerance required to progress promising targets through multiple stages of testing.
The call to action at Diggers & Dealers reflects broader industry concerns about the sustainability of gold supply. With aging deposits, declining discovery rates and growing demand for responsibly sourced metals, ensuring a steady pipeline of economically viable projects is critical. By increasing their presence in early-stage exploration, senior companies can help address these challenges and support a healthier long-term outlook for the sector.
Gold Fields’ multi-jurisdictional push also spreads geopolitical and operational risk. Working across Australia, South America and North America allows the company to pursue different deposit styles and regulatory environments, increasing the chances of meaningful discoveries. The combination of grassroots drilling, portfolio consolidation through acquisitions and investment in established projects demonstrates a balanced strategy aimed at securing future ounces sustainably.
While juniors will continue to play an important role—often taking the first steps on novel concepts and high-risk targets—Crawford’s message is clear: the industry needs larger players to step up. By contributing funding, technical depth and long-term commitments to early-stage exploration, senior producers can accelerate discovery, sustain production profiles and improve the resilience of the gold supply chain over coming decades.