Latest Mine Planning News

Metals Australia has established a maiden 45.7Mt Inferred VTM resource at Manindi West, alongside test work producing titanium oxide above 99% purity. The opportunity is sizeable, but remains an early-stage resource supported by conceptual expansion targets and screening-level economics.

Australian Silica Quartz Group is shifting its centre of gravity from exploration to development after adding the 47.3Mt White Swan Kaolin Project. The project has an approved 250,000-tonne-per-year mining concept, but commercial offtake and feasibility work remain ahead.

Cobalt Blue has cleared important technical and regulatory hurdles at its Kwinana refinery, but the pre-revenue developer says further funding is needed and auditors flagged material uncertainty over its ability to continue as a going concern. The company reported an A$8.797 million loss for FY2026 despite ending the year with A$4.265 million in cash.

American West Metals expanded its Storm copper resource and reported a major indium-zinc-gold intersection at West Desert during FY2026. But the ASX-listed explorer remains reliant on further funding, with the auditor flagging material uncertainty over its ability to continue as a going concern.

Mont Royal Resources has used its first post-merger annual report to set out the scale of the Ashram rare earths project, while flagging the funding, permitting and technical work still ahead. The updated study outlines a 30-year operation with a C$2.03 billion post-tax NPV, but remains a preliminary assessment rather than a development guarantee.

Prospect Resources has taken its flagship Mumbezhi Copper Project to 208.1 million tonnes, while lifting ownership to 90% and securing A$45 million for the next phase of work. The project remains pre-production, leaving the upcoming Scoping Study and further drilling to convert geological scale into an economic case.

EcoGraf’s preliminary review has identified potential to lift Epanko Stage 1 production from 73,000 to 87,600 tonnes per annum, while reducing first-10-year C1 costs by 5.8%. The higher-output case remains subject to further engineering, financing work and a Final Investment Decision.

Leeuwin Metals ended FY2026 with a 342,300-ounce Marda resource, which increased to 378,600 ounces shortly after year end following further Evanston drilling. The gold explorer is now shifting towards permitting and mine planning, although it remains loss-making, has no Ore Reserves and expects to require further funding.

Maritana Minerals has extended gold mineralisation beneath the planned Pit 4 floor at Boorara, with drilling still open at depth. The results could feed a larger resource and revised pit design, although assays, estimation and optimisation work remain ahead of a targeted mid-2027 restart.

Nordic Resources has recorded gold recoveries of up to 90% and copper recoveries of up to 91% at its Kopsa gold-copper project in Finland using a conventional processing route. The results will feed into an updated resource estimate expected in October, while a new 12,000-metre drilling program is already under way.

Auric Mining has reported a 4-metre intersection grading 10.49 grams per tonne gold west of its planned Munda open pit, alongside a series of high-grade near-surface results inside the Stage 2 design. The results arrive as pit engineering and Ore Reserve work move towards an expected October release ahead of a planned 2027 mining restart.

Wia Gold has moved Kokoseb from exploration into a proposed mine development backed by a 1.95 million ounce Probable Ore Reserve, A$217 million in equity raised since May and indicative US$360 million debt terms. The funding pathway is substantial, but it still depends on permits, lender approvals and final documentation before construction can fully proceed.