Processing Bottlenecks in Focus as Austral Begins Rocklands Drilling Campaign

Drilling Campaign Kicks Off at Rocklands

Austral Resources Australia Ltd (ASX, AR1) has announced the imminent start of an 18-hole reverse circulation and diamond drilling program at its Rocklands copper-gold project in Queensland. The 2,567-metre campaign will focus on the Las Minerale and Double Oxide prospects, aiming to bolster confidence in the existing mineral resource estimate and validate key geological and mineralisation models.

Chief Operating Officer Shane O’Connell emphasised the strategic importance of this drilling phase, describing it as a critical step towards meeting the company’s production target of 50,000 tonnes of copper annually from the Mt Isa–Cloncurry region. The program reflects Austral’s disciplined approach to resource development, underpinning its broader growth ambitions in a globally significant copper province.

Processing Optimisation and Metallurgical Testing

Alongside drilling, Austral is advancing metallurgical and comminution test work designed to refine processing assumptions. This includes evaluating flotation response and grinding behaviour, with a particular focus on integrating a Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) mill to improve circuit efficiency. The Rocklands Processing Plant, a conventional sulphide flotation facility with a 3 million tonnes per annum capacity, has historically faced throughput imbalances that limited operational efficiency.

The company views these constraints as engineering challenges that can be overcome through targeted debottlenecking and modern process control strategies. Optimisation efforts are already underway to enhance plant utilisation, reduce unit processing costs, and ultimately improve copper and gold recoveries.

Strategic Positioning in the Mt Isa Region

Rocklands represents a significant asset in Austral’s portfolio, complementing its existing Mt Kelly copper oxide operation. The acquisition of Rocklands has expanded Austral’s resource base to over 64 million tonnes of copper inventory, with a JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate that includes 11.26 million tonnes at Rocklands alone. The company is positioning itself as a regional processing hub, offering scalable treatment capacity to copper-gold peers in the district.

Results from the drilling and metallurgical programs are expected progressively through the third quarter of 2026. These findings will inform subsequent resource definition and processing optimisation studies, supporting Austral’s goal of sustained operational performance and long-term value creation.

Looking Ahead

The drilling campaign is anticipated to take approximately three months, with Austral’s exploration and resource definition team already onsite. As the company advances its technical evaluation, investors will be watching closely for assay results and insights into processing improvements that could unlock further value from the Rocklands asset.