Forrestania adds exclusive Tumblegum ore pathway to Edna May strategy

Star Minerals agreement opens Edna May feed option

Forrestania Resources (ASX:FRS) has secured an exclusive pathway to third-party gold ore, signing a binding agreement with Star Minerals to purchase and process up to 400,000 tonnes from the Tumblegum Gold Project in Western Australia. The initial haulage is scheduled to start on Friday, 23 October, with processing to take place at Forrestania’s Edna May facility.

The agreement runs for an initial 24 months and gives Forrestania exclusivity over Tumblegum ore that meets an agreed minimum-grade threshold during the supply period. That matters because the company is building a hub-and-spoke model around Edna May and Lake Johnston, seeking multiple ore sources within haulage distance of its processing infrastructure.

Timing aligns with Edna May production plans

The Tumblegum deal arrives as Forrestania targets first ore processing and initial gold production at Edna May in mid-December 2026, a timetable that remains conditional on equipment arriving and being installed on time. The company’s was brought forward earlier this month, according to its recent market update.

Executive chairman David Geraghty said the agreement was another step in developing long-term ore supply opportunities around the company’s processing hubs. He said Tumblegum gave Forrestania the opportunity to evaluate and potentially process third-party ore while it advanced towards sustained gold production.

Economics remain dependent on grade and recovery

The commercial formula is linked to ore grade, metallurgical recovery and prevailing gold prices. This gives the arrangement exposure to changes in the value recovered from the ore, but the announcement does not disclose the formula itself, expected grades, recoveries, processing costs or the potential revenue and profit contribution.

Nor is the full 400,000-tonne volume guaranteed: the agreement gives Forrestania the right to purchase and process up to that amount. The key evidence will therefore come from actual tonnes delivered, plant performance, recoveries and the financial contribution generated once haulage and processing campaigns begin.