Larvotto reports first gold, antimony production from Hillgrove mine
ASX-listed Larvotto Resources has produced first gold and antimony concentrate from its Hillgrove mine in New South Wales, after completing an extensive redevelopment and plant upgrade programme to global best practice standards.
Hillgrove is expected to produce about 4900 t of antimony and 40500 oz of gold every year over an initial eight-year mine life, with the company having secured binding offtake agreements for both its products.
MD Ron Heeks says commissioning of the flotation circuit and concentrate filter presses, which enabled the production of the company's first concentrate, is the latest in a series of significant milestones achieved at Hillgrove and continues the process towards establishing a steady-state operation.
“With the successful production of first concentrate, we now move into the delivery phase of the offtake agreements we have secured, namely the antimony offtake with Wogen Resources and the gold concentrate offtake with Glencore.
"These partnerships are significantly important, providing Larvotto with established access to global commodity markets and supply chains," Heeks states.
For Heeks, achieving first concentrate also reinforces Hillgrove’s position as a globally significant new source of antimony, an essential critical mineral in growing demand from Western governments.
"Our focus remains on ramping up Hillgrove to nameplate capacity and growing the project into a multi-decade critical minerals operation," he concludes.
