Westgold Resources has begun mining at the south junction lode of its Bluebird-South Junction mining complex, part of the Meekatharra gold mine in Western Australia.
Drilling will ramp up to a target 100,000 tonnes per month at the Bluebird-South Junction mine by mid-next year.
“Drilling continues to unlock value and point to the potential scale of the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex at Meekatharra,” Westgold managing director and chief executive officer Wayne Bramwell said.
“The commencement of mining on the South Junction Lode is a company milestone, achieved in short order by a focused team.”
Bramwell said the lode is one of many mineralised lodes being tested across the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex, with the Polar Star Lode the next target to being evaluated.
“Westgold can now contemplate a significantly larger, multi-decline mining complex emerging on the doorstep of our 1.6–1.8 million tonne per annum processing plant.
“Each new mining front we define can increase mine output, with the continued expansion of Bluebird-South Junction providing new opportunities to reduce haulage and optimise processing infrastructure across our Murchison business”.
The Bluebird-South Junction mining complex sits on the southern end of an approximately 6.5km long line of lodes that has seen extensive open pit mining.
Sub-level open stoping commenced in August 2024 on the South Junction Lode, within the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex at Meekatharra.
Capital mine development for the South Junction Lode is now being established and once complete will see the Bluebird-South Junction mining complex become the primary ore source for the nearby Bluebird processing plant.
Multiple underground diamond drill rigs are completing grade control drilling on the South Junction Lode ahead of the planned ramp up in production.
Subscribe to Australian Mining and receive the latest news on product announcements, industry developments, commodities and more.
