 has increased its mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the Bluebird – South Junction mining complex in WA by 37%.){kind=link}
‘Unleash the drills’: Westgold delivers a boost for Bluebird
Westgold Resources (ASX: WGX) has increased its mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the Bluebird – South Junction mining complex in WA by 37%.
The MRE now stands at 15mt at 2.9g/t of gold for 1.4moz, with a 65% increase in measured and indicated resources now 8.7mt at 2.9g/t of gold for 814koz.
Westgold managing director and chief executive Wayne Bramwell comments on the update.
“With 1.4Moz in resource and growing Bluebird-South Junction has now confirmed its status as the key growth driver in Westgold’s Murchison business,” he said.
“In under 18 months, the team has moved a simple uphole bench mine producing at 40kt a month, towards a 110kt a month mine with a highly efficient transverse primary/secondary mining sequence.
“This transition is built upon continued investment in drilling delivering a 240% increase in the mineral resource base.
“The significant upgrade in both total mineral resource and the measured and indicated component of the mineral resource estimate has enabled mining studies to advance, and we anticipate an increase in the associated ore reserve over and above the currently reported 277koz.”
This increase is expected to be delivered during H2, FY25 as the mining study is underway.
Two surface rigs and two underground drill rigs were committed into 2025, with all parts of the mineralised system remaining open at depth and to the south along strike.
Drilling objectives are to extend and infill the system, providing data for optimisation of mine infrastructure positioning.
“In FY25 Westgold has unleashed the drills,” said Mr Bramwell.
“In the Southern Goldfields preliminary works to support a seventh underground drill rig at Beta Hunt are underway, and the first resource development drilling program under Westgold ownership has commenced at the Lake Cowan project at Higginsville, with a view to providing a new source of feed to the Higginsville mill.
“We look forward to providing ongoing updates on the outcomes of this investment throughout this year.”