Stavely Minerals has initiated an updated 2026 Scoping Study for its Stavely Project, reflecting significantly improved metal prices and exploration results that extend gold mineralisation across multiple prospects.
- Updated 2026 Scoping Study underway incorporating higher metal prices and refined resource estimates
- Significant gold intercepts extend mineralisation at Fairview North and South prospects
- Reconnaissance drilling at Freddy’s Find reveals promising large-scale epithermal gold-silver system
- Total Mineral Resource Estimate stands at 28.3Mt with substantial copper, gold, and silver content
- Company holds $0.47 million cash and targets mid-2026 release of updated financial outcomes
Revitalising the Stavely Project
Stavely Minerals has breathed new life into its western Victoria copper-gold-silver project with the commencement of an updated 2026 Scoping Study. This move follows a reassessment of the 2022 Scoping Study, which had previously indicated a neutral financial outcome. The updated study integrates current metal prices, which have surged dramatically since 2022, alongside escalated capital and operating costs, resulting in a strongly positive financial outlook.
The company’s management emphasises that the improved metal price environment, particularly for copper, gold, and silver, combined with a weaker Australian dollar, enhances the project’s economic potential. Stavely aims to demonstrate a pathway to approximately 20,000 tonnes per annum of copper equivalent production, supported by a mineral resource base that could sustain a mine life exceeding ten years.
Exploration Advances, Fairview and Freddy’s Find
Exploration drilling has delivered encouraging results across several prospects. At Fairview North, Phase 2 reverse circulation drilling extended the strike length of shallow gold mineralisation beyond 300 metres, with notable intercepts such as 14 metres at 2.14 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and a high-grade 1 metre interval at 18.60 g/t gold. These results confirm the continuity of gold mineralisation and support further drilling planned for Phase 3.
Meanwhile, at Fairview South, soil auger sampling has identified a potential second parallel gold zone, expanding the prospect’s footprint. Recent drilling has returned significant gold intercepts, including 40 metres at 1.96 g/t gold, reinforcing the prospect’s promise.
Reconnaissance drilling at Freddy’s Find, an early-stage but large-scale epithermal gold-silver target concealed beneath basalt cover, has revealed extensive zones of alteration and sulphide mineralisation. Intercepts such as 16 metres at 1.09 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) from 46 metres depth highlight the prospect’s potential to host a substantial deposit characteristic of prolific South-West Pacific Rim gold systems.
Resource Base and Financial Position
Stavely Minerals’ combined Mineral Resource Estimate across its projects totals 28.3 million tonnes at 0.75% copper, 0.11 g/t gold, and 3.5 g/t silver, containing approximately 210,000 tonnes of copper, 100,000 ounces of gold, and 3.2 million ounces of silver. The resource confidence is bolstered by 76% of tonnage classified as Indicated Resources, providing a solid foundation for advancing technical studies.
Despite these promising developments, the company’s cash position remains modest at $0.47 million as of December 2025, underscoring the importance of progressing the Scoping Study and securing further funding to support ongoing exploration and development activities.
Looking Ahead
Stavely Minerals plans to finalise the updated Scoping Study by mid-2026, incorporating refined resource estimates, metallurgical testwork, and optimised mine designs. The study aims to provide a robust financial model that reflects the current favourable market conditions and supports a compelling investment case. Concurrently, exploration will continue to focus on expanding gold mineralisation at Fairview South and advancing the understanding of Freddy’s Find.
Bottom Line?
As Stavely Minerals advances its updated Scoping Study and exploration programs, the market awaits clarity on the project’s economic viability amid rising metal prices and evolving resource confidence.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the updated Scoping Study quantify the financial uplift compared to the 2022 neutral outcome?
- What are the timelines and funding plans to support further drilling and study completion?
- How might permitting progress in Victoria influence the project’s development schedule?