- 01June 2027 first gold remains on schedule and within budget.
- 02Laverton steel and CIL tank work underway.
- 03Lord Byron mobilisation targets March 2027 quarter.
Brightstar Resources (ASX: BTR) remains on schedule to deliver first gold in June 2027 from its wholly owned Goldfields project in Western Australia as construction gathers pace at Laverton.
The company’s 1.5-million-tonnes-per-annum processing plant is progressing within its approved budget following another month of civil works and the start of structural steel installation.
September’s milestones included the final major concrete pour at the primary crusher, completion of surge bin concrete and the start of carbon-in-leach (CIL) tank construction.
Work is advancing alongside preparations at the Lord Byron open pit, where mining mobilisation is targeted for early in the March 2027 quarter.
Plant Taking Structural Shape
The surge bin became the first area to move into structural steel erection after completion of its concrete works, marking a shift in the type of construction activity at Laverton.
Crews have begun welding CIL tank platework and strakes while structural steel and platework fabrication packages continue to progress, with deliveries reaching the site.
At the primary crusher, the final major concrete pour has been completed, positioning that area for backfilling and the next stage of steel erection, while the grinding and classification area has completed concrete foundations, with structural steel delivered and laid out ahead of installation.
Detailed earthworks and civil concrete construction have started at the LNG power station, expanding the work fronts beyond the core processing circuit, with civil works advanced in the gold recovery and elution areas, and the reagents area moving into its own concrete construction phase.
Borefield development drilling and welding of the main header pipework have advanced as Brightstar prepares the water supply infrastructure required for the plant.
Busy October Schedule
Additional work scheduled this month includes structural steel erection at the grinding, classification and primary crusher areas and further installation and welding of CIL tank components.
Brightstar plans to continue borefield drilling and pipework installation before undertaking initial testing of bores and pipeline pumps.
“Construction and development activities at our Goldfields project continued to advance well in September, with the project development tracking to schedule for construction completion and first gold delivered in June 2027,” managing director Alex Rovira said.
“The final major concrete pour in the primary crusher area, together with the commencement of structural steel erection and CIL tank construction, are important milestones as the project begins its transition from the civil and concrete phase into structural, mechanical, and piping works.”
“In parallel with the processing infrastructure development, site establishment works are now underway at the Lord Byron open pit ahead of mining mobilisation targeted for the March quarter—we look forward to keeping our stakeholders updated as we advance to first gold in less than nine months’ time.”
75kozpa Gold Production
The January 2026 updated feasibility study outlined annual gold production exceeding 75,000 ounces over six years, forming the operating basis for the development timetable.
Brightstar’s study also projected approximately $1 billion in life-of-mine cash flows, a $606m net present value at an 8% discount rate, and a 74% internal rate of return.
The company expects future Goldfields production cash flows to help fund development of its flagship Sandstone project under a proposed sequential growth strategy.
Across Goldfields and Sandstone, Brightstar reports mineral resources totalling 5.2 million ounces, while exploration drilling around the Laverton Hub continued during September in pursuit of potential resource growth and new discoveries.
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