According to the latest research report from London-based precious metals analysts – Metals Focus – global mined gold output is still on the increase this year, despite the much lower gold price prevailing. This is primarily due to the build-up to full production of a number of major new gold mining operations which came on stream in 2013, while the start-ups at Kibali in the DRC, Aykem in Ghana and Tropicana in Australia added a further 21 tonnes in the first half of the current year.