Austral Resources Australia has commenced drilling at its Rocklands project and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Metal Bank to evaluate the potential troll treatment at the Rocklands processing facility.
The two initiatives are part of the copper producer’s strategy to position Rocklands as a regional processing hub in Queensland’s Mt Isa–Cloncurry district, while advancing resource confidence and optimisation studies aimed at supporting long-term copper production growth.
Drilling is expected to commence imminently at Rocklands with an 18-hole reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling (DD) program covering 2,567 metres targeting the Las Minerale and Double Oxide copper-gold prospects.
As part of the program, targeted metallurgical and comminution testwork will be undertaken in parallel, testing processing assumptions for flotation and grinding.
Austral COO Shane O’Connell said the drilling program is another step in delivering the company’s production and processing objectives.
“Rigorous technical evaluation and disciplined resource development underpin our strategy to build toward our stated target of 50,000 tonnes of copper per annum from the Mt Isa-Cloncurry region,” O’Connell said.
“We have successfully executed our initial three pillar strategy and are now focused on converting these strategies into sustained operational performance.
“Our commitment is not only to articulate a clear plant, but to demonstrate disciplined delivery – creating long-term value for our shareholders and supporting economic activity across the region.”
The results of the drilling programme will be delivered through the third quarter of 2026.
In a parallel initiative, Austral has also signed a non-binding MoU with Metal Bank to assess the potential toll treatment of ore from Metal Bank’s Millennium project at Rocklands.
Under the MoU, the two parties will collaborate to assess metallurgical testwork and processing compatibility, haulage methodology and logistics and commercial tolling structure.
Metal Bank’s CEO Tim Gilbert said: “We have long been aware of the upside value at Millennium.
“The opportunity to significantly increase the copper/cobalt resource with our recent mining lease application, our imminent move to 80 per cent ownership of the project, and now the opportunity to work with Austral towards a processing solution, highlights that the Millennium Project is a near term, valuable copper/cobalt project in the heart of NW Queensland.”
