Meeka Metals has begun underground decline development at Fairway, its second mine at the Murchison Gold Project, with first ore targeted for January 2027. The project carries a 50koz initial Ore Reserve, while drilling below the planned mine points to potential reserve growth and a longer mine life.
- Fairway decline development commenced at Turnberry in October 2026
- First ore targeted for January 2027, around 20km from the processing plant
- Initial Probable Ore Reserve of 50koz at 2.5g/t gold
- Underground Mineral Resource of 360koz at 3.9g/t gold
- Drilling below the reserve returned wide, high-grade intersections
Fairway decline moves into underground development
Meeka Metals Limited (ASX:MEK) has started decline development at Fairway, the Turnberry underground mine and the second underground operation planned for its Murchison Gold Project. Surface infrastructure and the portal were completed in September, allowing the first decline cut to begin in October. First ore is expected in January 2027, with material to be trucked roughly 20 kilometres to the processing plant.
Second ore source joins the Andy Well transition
Fairway is intended to add another high-grade feed source alongside the currently producing Andy Well underground mine. The milestone comes after Meeka’s two-underground-mine transition, which was outlined as open-pit mining ended and the company shifted towards underground production. Meeka says the additional source should reduce reliance on any single production area, although the January timing remains an expectation rather than a confirmed production outcome.
Initial reserve provides an 18-month mine plan
The Fairway mine has an initial Probable Ore Reserve of 620,000 tonnes at 2.5 grams per tonne gold, equivalent to 50,000 ounces. The broader underground Mineral Resource is 360,000 ounces at 3.9g/t gold. The company’s current plan covers approximately 18 months, giving the initial reserve a defined starting point while leaving the durability of the operation dependent on further resource conversion and mine development.
Deep drilling creates a reserve-growth test
Drilling completed in 2026 below the existing Ore Reserve returned intersections of 52.3 metres at 3.0g/t gold and 18.0 metres at 3.0g/t gold. Those results indicate mineralisation continues at depth, according to Meeka, but they are not yet an updated Ore Reserve. Underground drill platforms are due to be established from the decline in coming months to test and potentially convert that mineralisation. The work is being undertaken as Meeka prepares for its processing plant upgrade, which had reached steady-state throughput of around 600,000 tonnes per annum in the company’s previous update.
January production target carries execution questions
The announcement does not provide revised production guidance, capital costs or operating costs for Fairway. That leaves the next milestones fairly concrete: progress the decline, deliver first ore in January and establish the underground drilling platforms. Meeka’s recent Turnberry development funding gives the project a reported financing backdrop, but the filing does not quantify how Fairway will affect group production or cash generation once operating.
Bottom Line?
Fairway now has a defined reserve and a January 2027 first-ore target; the larger value question is whether underground drilling can convert deeper mineralisation into mineable inventory before the initial plan runs down.
Questions in the middle?
- Can decline development deliver first ore in January 2027 as targeted?
- How much of the mineralisation below the current reserve can be converted into Ore Reserves?
- What production, capital and operating-cost contribution will Fairway make once it is operating alongside Andy Well?