Westgold resumes mining at historic Great Fingall
ASX- and TSX-listed Westgold Resources has restarted high-grade mining at the historic Great Fingall mine in Western Australia, marking the first production from the famous gold reef in more than a century.
The miner confirmed on Thursday that it had fired the first stope at Great Fingall, accessing fresh high-grade ore from areas of the reef last worked between 1891 and 1918 – a period in which the mine produced 1.2-million ounces of gold from just 1.9-million tonnes of ore.
Located near Cue in the Murchison region, Great Fingall is being brought back into production as a cornerstone of Westgold’s Murchison operations, with ore destined for the company’s Cue processing hub. At steady-state output, expected from 2027, the mine is forecast to deliver about 0.5-million tonnes of high-grade ore a year, supplementing bulk feed from the nearby Big Bell operation.
Early stope grades are in line with expectations, averaging above 3 g/t gold.
“The recommencement of stoping at Great Fingall is a proud achievement for all at Westgold and the Western Australian underground mining community. This historic mine, which produced over 1.2-million ounces of gold at outstanding grades in the early 1900s, has now been revitalised as a modern, high-grade operation through our strategic investment in the Murchison portfolio," said Westgold MD and CEO Wayne Bramwell.
The company met its 2026 financial year target for first high-grade stope ore, with Great Fingall transitioning from development into production during the December quarter. The mine is expected to ramp up through 2026 and 2027 toward a combined rate of roughly 40 000 t a month from Great Fingall and Golden Crown.
Ore from Great Fingall will provide high-grade feed to the Cue hub and is expected to lift operating margins across the Murchison business.
Underground drilling is continuing, targeting extensions to the current six-year mine life and testing new lodes at depth. The mine is operated under a three-year contract with Barminco.
Great Fingall and Golden Crown are among Western Australia’s most storied gold producers. Great Fingall averaged nearly 20 g/t during its original operating life, while Golden Crown added 288 000 oz from underground campaigns at grades of nearly 14 g/t. Westgold is now reviving them as a single modern operation accessed through one underground portal, aiming to unlock remaining high-grade potential and extend the legacy of the historic Day Dawn goldfield.
