Black Cat Syndicate has approved plans to expand the processing capacity of its Lakewood mill to 1.5 million tonnes per annum after it started the processing of ore from the Fingals and Majestic mines.
The Lakewood mill, part of the company’s Kal East gold operation in Western Australia, processed the first 10,000 tonnes of ore, delivering strong metallurgical and plant performance.
In February, the board decided to approve the AU$20 million expansion of the mill’s capacity from 1.2 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes per annum.
The company expects the 25 per cent increase in current levels to be funded from its strong operating cash flow. The cost of upgrading the mill will pay off for the company by reducing its overall operating costs with the increase in throughput.
The expansion will leverage existing infrastructure and the plant will keep running during the upgrade. First ore for the expanded mill is scheduled for the March 2027 quarter.
Black Cat Managing Director James Bruce said: “Processing first ore from the Fingals open pit and Majestic underground mines through Lakewood, delivered on time and within budget, represents a significant milestone for the company.
“This achievement reflects the hard work, discipline and commitment of the Black Cat team as we continue to build, own and operate high-quality, long-life mines in Western Australia.”
The company has ramped up mining at both the Fingals open pit and Majestic underground mines, with stockpiles of 114,000 tonnes now ready for processing.
The two mines are expected to become the primary ore sources for Lakewood and will remain so for the next four years.
