Westgold Resources has released plans for a major brownfields expansion at its Meekatharra processing hub in Western Australia, aiming to boost processing capacity by 61 per cent and unlock significant value across its Murchison operations.
According to the results of Westgold’s scoping study, the proposed Meekatharra Expansion Plan (MXP) offers a capital-efficient pathway to increase hub throughput from 1.8 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 2.9Mtpa by fiscal year 2028.
The low-capital project leverages existing infrastructure and previously procured long-lead equipment, avoiding the high costs and extended timeframes of building a standalone processing plant.
The preferred setup involves installing a parallel crushing and single-stage SAG milling circuit integrated directly into the current downstream processing facility.
The expansion comes as growing ore supply from the nearby Bluebird–South Junction underground mine and several developing open pits across the region shift the hub from being mine-constrained to processing-constrained.
Once commissioned, the MXP is expected to add approximately 47,000 ounces of gold per annum, contributing to a total forecast production of up to 1.8 million ounces over a 10-year mine life.
Westgold estimates indicative capital expenditure at up to AU$100 million, with a rapid projected payback period of just nine months.
At a spot gold price of AU$6,000 per ounce, the expansion delivers a net present value (NPV) uplift of approximately AU$1.6 billion.
Westgold CEO Wayne Bramwell said: “Meekatharra is the growth engine of Westgold’s Murchison business.
“As Bluebird–South Junction continues to expand and the Murchison open pit program ramps up, the hub is increasingly moving from being mine-constrained to processing-constrained.
“The MXP provides a pathway to unlock emerging ore supply, increase gold production, reduce processing unit costs and lift free cash flow.”
Westgold will now advance feasibility-level technical and economic studies, with a final investment decision targeted for late fiscal 2027.
