Westgold Resources has approved the expansion of its Higginsville processing hub from 1.6 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 2.6 million Mtpa.
The company’s board has committed AU$145 million to expand the processing hub, increasing ore processing capacity in the Southern Goldfields by 62.5 per cent.
The project will also increase annual gold production from the Higginsville hub to about 160,000 ounces and reduce processing costs by 24 per cent to AU$34 per tonne from the previous AU$45 per tonne.
The Higginsville expansion project marks a major step in Westgold’s strategy to enhance cash flow by increasing production and reducing operating costs.
Westgold CEO Wayne Bramwell said the Higginsville Expansion Plan (HXP) marks the next step in driving down unit costs and increasing cash flow from the Southern Goldfields.
“By expanding the Higginsville mill capacity to a nominal 2.6Mtpa we are creating a more productive, lower-cost processing hub to match the growing outputs from our Beta Hunt mine.
“This will see us deliver higher group gold production at a lower cost, in line with our three-year outlook.”
The upgraded processing plant includes a new primary crusher, a 5.8-megawatt semi-autogenous grinding mill, pebble crusher, and expanded leaching and adsorption capacity, all engineered to support future expansion to 4 Mtpa.
“The HXP has been designed with future growth in mind.
“The timing of the HXP aligns strategically with the anticipated growth in mining rates from the Southern Goldfields, ensuring that expanded processing capacity is ready to accommodate increased ore delivery from Beta Hunt,” Bramwell said.
The company is now prioritising long-lead item procurement for the project. The engineering, procurement and construction tendering process is scheduled through the later half of 2026, followed by staged construction activities starting from the first quarter of fiscal 2027.
Westgold expects expanded plant handover and operational readiness by mid-2028.
Beyond the plant expansion, the company continues to advance drilling in the Fletcher Zone, an orebody at Beta Hunt where the company has defined a 2.3-million-ounce maiden mineral resource.
