Savannah Goldfields Restarts Gold Production, Eyes Big Reef Mining Kickoff

Restarting Gold Production at Georgetown

Savannah Goldfields Limited has marked a significant operational milestone by resuming gold production at its Georgetown Gold Processing Plant (GGPP) in Far North Queensland. The company poured its first gold doré since January 2024, weighing approximately 1.5 kilograms, signaling a return to steady processing activity after a period of downtime. While the exact gold content of this initial doré is still pending assay results, the event underscores Savannah’s commitment to revitalising its flagship asset.

All key components of the plant, including crushing, milling, gravity recovery, leaching, and elution circuits, are now operational. Milling has restarted with lower grade ore, and feed rates are planned to increase steadily to achieve stable operating conditions. The company currently holds over 3,500 tonnes of crushed mill feed and an additional 6,000 tonnes of uncrushed stockpiled material, providing a solid foundation for ongoing production.

Big Reef Mining to Commence

With processing underway, Savannah is turning its focus to mining activities at the Big Reef open pit, scheduled to begin in November 2025. This small-scale open pit will extend the historical Big Reef operation along strike and is expected to deliver up to 18,000 tonnes of inferred mineral resource to the GGPP. Initial mining steps include surface clearing, topsoil removal, blast hole drilling, and grade control sampling, followed by conventional benching mining methods using hydraulic excavators and articulated trucks.

Environmental and Expansion Plans at Agate Creek

Meanwhile, Savannah is finalising an application to amend the Environmental Authority for its Agate Creek project to accommodate expanded mining activities. The company anticipates submitting this application shortly, with plans to resume mining and processing of Agate Creek ore at the GGPP in the second quarter of 2026. This phased approach reflects a strategic expansion of Savannah’s operational footprint in the region.

Building a Regional Processing Hub

Georgetown’s processing plant is uniquely positioned as the only facility within a 400-kilometre radius, surrounded by numerous stranded gold deposits and old open pits. Savannah envisions transforming Georgetown into a regional hub, processing ore from multiple nearby sources. The company is advancing designs to modify the plant for sulphide ore processing, a type of ore historically left unmined in the region, potentially unlocking significant new resources.

Additionally, Savannah is exploring joint ventures and acquisitions of stranded deposits and evaluating opportunities to toll treat third-party ores. Discussions are ongoing with local small-scale miners interested in scaling operations and utilizing the Georgetown plant for gold doré production, which could further enhance throughput and regional collaboration.

CEO Brad Sampson highlighted the milestone’s importance, thanking the team and partners for their efforts and expressing optimism about the company’s future growth prospects in the Georgetown district.