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Rox Resources has successfully fired and extracted its first production stope at the United North deposit of its Youanmi gold mine in Western Australia, marking a major step towards first gold production in mid-2027.
The milestone follows a record 647m of underground development advance during October, with mining continuing to exceed planned development rates.
The first stope was extracted from the 2356 level, with Rox reporting better-than-expected ground conditions and minimal overbreak. Drilling is now underway to prepare a second stope for production.
Rox managing director and chief executive officer Phill Wilding welcomed the progress.
“Mining achieved a record 647 metres of underground development advance in October, while production stoping has now commenced at United North with the first stope successfully fired on the 2356 level and the second stope now being drilled,” Wilding said.
“This marks an important milestone in the transition from development towards production at the high-grade United North area.”
The operational progress comes alongside further high-grade drilling results, strengthening confidence in Youanmi’s mineralisation and future mine plan.
Standout intersections included 5.50m at 15.46 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 168m, including 1.01m at 63.12g/t, and 7.42m at 9.91g/t gold from 236.55m.
Further drilling returned 2.24m at 21.79g/t gold from 246.76m, including 1.50m at 27.46g/t.
“The underground infill drilling program has once again delivered strong, high-grade results, further defining the mineralisation and strengthening confidence in the delivery of high-grade ounces from the Youanmi ore system,” Wilding said.
Two of the intersections were also located outside the existing mine plan, highlighting opportunities to incorporate additional mineralisation into future production schedules.
The results build on recent drilling success beneath United North’s existing resource, where Rox intersected 4.87m at 15.13g/t gold, confirming mineralisation below the current resource boundary.
Preparations for stoping at United North also commenced following high-grade drilling and extensions beyond the definitive feasibility study mine plan.
Meanwhile, construction of Youanmi’s one-million-tonne-per-annum processing plant continues to progress on schedule.
The ball mill has arrived on site, structural steel installation has begun, and all eight carbon-in-leach tanks are in place.
Construction of the tailings storage facility is also advancing, with embankment works well progressed and the outer wall nearing completion.
The development follows an earlier construction update that placed the processing plant at 39 per cent completion in October.
“With construction and mining activities continuing to schedule, the team remains firmly focused on execution and delivery at Youanmi, while continuing to advance towards our aspiration of becoming a 150,000ozpa operation in the years ahead,” Wilding said.
Rox is targeting early processing plant commissioning activities in March 2027, ahead of first gold in mid-2027.
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