Australian gold mining company Meeka Metals has announced that its Murchison project in WA has received final approval for development. 

The project is comprised of five exploration licences and two mining leases, focusing on three deposits: Andy Well, Turnberry and St. Anne’s.  

Meeka Metals has now commenced construction of the 20km haul road between the processing plant and the open-pit mining area.  

Work on the accommodation village and office infrastructure is also continuing and will now accelerate with all approvals in place. 

In September, upgrades to the processing plant will start along with the relocation of a 750kW ball mill equipment package to Murchison.  

December will see the drilling of depth extensions below the Turnberry open pits to expand the underground production plan, grade control drilling of the shallow, high-grade oxide starter pits at Turnberry and St. Anne’s, and the commissioning of the camp.  

There will also be an update on the definitive feasibility study (DFS) with a re-optimised production plan for the increased processing capacity. 

Meeka Metals expects that by March 2025, open-pit mining can commence with re-access to the Andy Well underground mine.  

Commissioning of the processing plant is planned for June 2025 alongside the drilling of depth extensions at Andy Well from underground drill platforms. 

Gold production is scheduled from the beginning of 2026.  

Meeka Metals managing director Tim Davidson commented: “It is a major milestone to receive final approval and we can now move forward with full development.” 

The Murchison gold project has a combined 281km² landholding that hosts 1.2 million ounces of three grams per tonne of gold on granted mining leases. 

Meeka Metals’ DFS outlines anticipated post-tax net cash flows from Murchison of A$413m ($277m) over an initial nine-year production plan.  

The company also owns the Circle Valley Project in the Albany-Fraser Mobile Belt, where gold mineralisation has been identified in four separate locations.