- 01First Metz ore to Hillgrove stockpile; August commissioning on track.
- 02Underground ramp-up: 170m progress; 1.9km drives rehab; 20,000 rock bolts.
- 03Plant on track.
Larvotto Resources (ASX: LRV) has delivered first development ore from the Metz underground mine to surface stockpiles at its Hillgrove antimony-gold project in New South Wales.
The milestone keeps Hillgrove on schedule ahead of planned process plant commissioning in August 2026.
Underground operations and plant refurbishment activities remain on time and budget as Larvotto advances one of Australia’s key near-term antimony production opportunities.
Underground contractor PYBAR has advanced 170 metres and rehabilitated 1.9 kilometres of drives, while crews have installed 20,000 rock bolts in preparation for full underground production.
Mine Ramp-Up Continues
The first ore delivery marks a key step in the restart of Hillgrove, with underground development and mine establishment activities continuing to ramp up.
PYBAR and the Hillgrove operations team have shifted focus toward delivering ore to surface after completing substantial underground access and rehabilitation work.
The Metz underground mine is planned to provide the bulk of ore feed for Hillgrove during the first 18 months of mine production.
Vertical raise boring works for the new ventilation shaft have also commenced ahead of schedule, supporting the broader transition toward full underground production.
Plant Refurbishment On Track
Process plant refurbishment works continue to advance to schedule ahead of the planned August commissioning program.
The refurbishment program sits alongside the underground ramp-up as Larvotto prepares Hillgrove for a return to production.
Managing director Ron Heeks said the first ore delivery represented another important step in bringing the project back into operation.
“The site team has done an excellent job of reaching this point, on track and on budget, for the commencement of plant commissioning in August,” Mr Heeks said.
“With the plant refurbishment progressing well and staffing increasing nearly daily, we are looking forward to delivering on becoming not only Australia’s next critical mineral producer, but Australia’s largest antimony producer.”
Hillgrove Production Profile
Hillgrove is forecast to deliver average life-of-mine production of approximately 85,710 ounces of gold equivalent per annum over an eight-year mine life.
The forecast includes average recovered gold production of 40,556oz per annum and average recovered antimony production of 4,878 tonnes per annum.
Production over the first five years is expected to average 92,112oz of gold equivalent per annum.
That first-five-year profile includes 39,391oz of gold and 5,696t of antimony per annum.
Get the wire before the market opens.
The ASX small-cap stories that matter, filed before 9am AEST. Curated by the Small Caps desk.