Pacgold achieves second gold bar pour at White Dam as production ramps up

The pour delivered a gold doré bar weighing 97 oz and represents gold leached from the initial aerated eastern and western margins of the pad.

Pacgold says no newly leached gold has yet returned in leachate to the pad base since irrigation has started on the re-crush material, although high-grade leachate has been analysed at the base of the final lift re-crush lift.

To date, a further 20 000 t of material from the existing heap leach pad has been successfully re-crushed for irrigation. Validation of the re-crush strategy has been established, with confirmation that high-grade leachate is actively reporting to the base of the re-crush material. An additional 50 000 t of material will be placed under irrigation by month-end.

The company further confirms that exploration and resource definition drilling are progressing well with a 3 000 m reverse circulation drilling programme at Vertigo now completed.

This drilling was designed to target potential resource expansion and provide data required to fast-track the restart of mining operations.

Drilling has since moved to White Dam North, where 700 m has been completed to date. The remainder of this drill programme is advancing on schedule and is expected to be completed by mid-July.

Pacgold has tasked consultancy Entech to start work on an updated mineral resource estimate for the Vertigo deposit. Entech is also undertaking new pit optimisations, mine designs and cashflow calculations.

Concurrently, Pacgold is evaluating a potential early restart of the Vertigo pit.

Originally the company was aiming at a full restart to operations by mid-2027, although an opportunity exists to restart the operations in late 2026. This early restart strategy is focused on accessing fresh oxide ore identified on the northern and eastern margins of the pit, which presents a highly compelling near-term production opportunity.

The existing heap has additional unutilised loading capacity of 800 000 t and ore can be crushed and added to the final lift without further permitting or capital expenditure required.

The existing pad will require an extension of approximately four-million tonnes to accommodate all of the Vertigo, White Dam North and Hannaford ore moving forward.

This design work is advancing well and on track, with the final design scheduled for completion by late July.

Pacgold MD Matthew Boyes says delivering the second gold pour from White Dam brings in additional cashflow as production ramps up, with the re-crushed material delivering good grades.

“While the re-crush strategy allows us to recover near-term gold, ultimately our goal is to return to active full-scale mining and access fresh ore and new production. Entech is updating the resource model and mine design while the follow-up drill programme at Vertigo aims to further grow the resource.

"Our objective now is to map out a practical, cost-effective path to restart the Vertigo pit and bring fresh oxide ore into our production profile with numbers expected in the next two to three weeks, followed up straight away with permitting applications and contractor engagement," Boyes concludes.