Aeris Secures Mining Lease for Constellation, Construction Accelerates

Mining Lease Approval Unlocks Constellation Development

Aeris Resources Limited (ASX:AIS) has crossed a major regulatory hurdle with the granting of Mining Lease ML1897 for its Constellation Project, part of the Tritton Copper Operations in New South Wales. This approval under the Mining Act 1992 (NSW), following earlier environmental and planning consents, formally enables Aeris to commence mining activities at the site.

The lease approval integrates Constellation into the existing Tritton operations, an alignment cemented by a modification to the Tritton Development Application approved last September. This modification not only incorporates Constellation ore processing into the Tritton plant but also extends the mine’s operational life and expands tailings storage capacity, underpinning the project's strategic value.

Construction Momentum Builds Ahead of Production Start

Construction activities are well underway, with early works focusing on critical infrastructure. Since May, Aeris has been busy crushing and stockpiling road base materials, trenching and installing a 29-kilometre service corridor equipped with HDPE water lines and optic fibre for communications, and preparing haul roads and subgrade earthworks. The company has also erected a temporary site office and commenced raw water dam construction.

These preparatory steps set the stage for waste stripping operations scheduled to begin in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, marking a tangible transition from planning to production. The haul road and services corridor are pivotal in linking Constellation to the broader Tritton infrastructure, facilitating ore transport and site services.

Strategic Asset Strengthened by Resource Upgrades

Executive Chairman Andre Labuschagne highlighted the milestone as a key validation of Aeris’s long-term strategy at Tritton. The mining lease grant complements a recent substantial Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve update that saw a 70% increase in resources and a fourfold rise in reserves, including maiden underground reserves at Constellation. These figures signal a robust production pipeline and reinforce confidence in the asset’s longevity and value contribution.

With the Constellation Project now firmly on track, Aeris is advancing its growth ambitions in copper and gold production, leveraging its expanded resource base and infrastructure enhancements. The project’s successful integration into Tritton operations is expected to bolster Aeris’s position among Australian mid-tier producers.