Develop achieves steady-state production at Woodlawn copper mine
ASX-listed Develop Global has reached steady-state production at its Woodlawn copper mine in New South Wales, following a strong March quarter marked by significant increases in mining and processing volumes.
The company reported on Thursday that production at Woodlawn had exceeded its nameplate capacity of 850 000 t/y.
During March, ore mined totalled 80 510 t, while 77 741 t were processed.
The monthly performance capped a strong quarter, with total ore mined rising 46.4% quarter-on-quarter to 181 973 t, including a 52.7% increase in stoping tonnes.
Processing throughput increased by 25.2% to 176 550 t, while metal concentrate production rose 50% to 14 219 t. The value of concentrate produced increased by 66% over the same period.
MD Bill Beament said the company had achieved steady-state production in line with its planned timeline.
“The ramp-up at Woodlawn has met or exceeded all our targets, ensuring we achieved steady-state production in line with our stated timetable,” he said.
The milestone follows a three-year development strategy focused on derisking the project through exploration, infill drilling and staged mine development.
Beament noted that the company had prioritised processing lower-grade ore during the ramp-up phase to optimise recoveries, while advancing underground development ahead of schedule to enhance operational flexibility.
Develop highlighted that Woodlawn benefitted from low exposure to diesel costs, with diesel accounting for only 1.3% of operating costs for the financial year to February 28.
The operation sources 100% of its electricity from the east coast grid, insulating it from fuel supply disruptions that have affected parts of the mining sector.
