Valiant Gold has pushed dewatering at its Comet mine to 170 metres below surface, while core facilities, ventilation and power infrastructure move into place. The company continues to target first production in the second half of FY27, with several execution milestones due in Q2 FY27.
- Dewatering reaches the 1270 Level, 170 metres below surface
- Workshop, offices and medical centre installed at Comet
- 6.1 MW power station due for installation and commissioning by end-October
- Comet Restart Study remains targeted for completion in Q2 FY27
- Underground mining and drilling contractor appointments approach key decisions
Dewatering Reaches First Production Areas
Valiant Gold Limited (ASX:VAL) has taken the Comet restart another step towards production, with underground water levels now down to the 1270 Level, 170 metres below surface. Dewatering is being carried out across the Comet and Pinnacles workings, with water pumped into the Eclipse Pit while a permanent pumping network is installed.
The Pinnacles program, which is intended to open access to the first planned production areas, remains targeted for completion before the end of Q2 FY27. Dewatering of the deeper Comet decline is expected to continue through the second half of FY27. The progress builds on the July underground re-entry, which found generally dry workings, serviceable infrastructure and limited rehabilitation requirements in the initial production zones.
Power and Ventilation Infrastructure Moves Into Commissioning
Surface infrastructure is beginning to look less like a restart plan and more like an operating site. The workshop, offices and medical centre are now installed, providing maintenance, technical and emergency-response capacity as activity and workforce numbers increase. An initial 30-person accommodation camp is scheduled for delivery in November 2026.
Valiant has also installed primary ventilation fans in both the Comet and Pinnacles underground circuits. Commissioning will follow the establishment of permanent site power, with preparatory work underway for a 6.1 MW power station that the company aims to install and commission by the end of October. The work continues the Comet infrastructure contracts announced earlier in the restart program, when power and ventilation equipment contracts were awarded.
Restart Study and Contractor Decisions Set the Next Test
The Comet Restart Study remains on track for completion in Q2 FY27. It is intended to consolidate the mine plan, restart sequencing and execution requirements, after which Valiant expects to publish a preliminary mining schedule. The underground mining services tender is also progressing, with a contractor decision due in the same quarter.
Valiant has completed its tender process for an underground diamond drilling contractor and is nearing an appointment. Drilling is expected to begin in Q2 FY27, targeting grade control and resource definition work designed to increase confidence in the existing resource and test potential mine-life extensions. The company says Comet is funded through to first production and continues to target a production start in H2 FY27, but the timetable still depends on the power station, dewatering, contracting and study work landing in sequence.
Comet sits 14 kilometres by road from Westgold Resources' Tuckabianna mill and 110 kilometres from its Bluebird mill, with processing access provided under an ore purchase agreement. The project trend has an existing stated resource of 3.77 million tonnes at 2.51 grams per tonne gold for 304,000 ounces, giving the restart a brownfields base rather than requiring a new mine and standalone processing plant.
Bottom Line?
The physical restart is advancing, but Q2 FY27 will test whether infrastructure progress can become a bankable mining schedule without shifting the H2 FY27 production target.
Questions in the middle?
- Can the 6.1 MW power station be commissioned by the end of October as planned?
- What mining contractor, schedule and operating assumptions will emerge from the Comet Restart Study?
- Will grade-control and resource-definition drilling add mineable tonnes or extend the restart timeline?