Rox Resources (ASX: RXL) has transitioned to 24-hour mining at the United North pit within its Youanmi gold project in Western Australia.
The milestone follows the completion of portal support for the exploration decline and the start of Phase 1 expansion activities for the accommodation camp, which will include 60 new rooms and the construction of site offices.
Preparations for the building of an underground workshop are well advanced, with pad works completed and concrete works scheduled to commence shortly, while the company will also begin establishing the primary ventilation portal once the pad to the south advances across the main pit.
Dewatering remains on schedule for completion in the new year in and Rox will commission evaporators with a separate pump feed to maintain its timeline.
Permitting Preparation Underway
Rox is preparing to lodge a mining development and closure proposal (MDCP) and works approvals for the construction of a processing plant, tailings dam and other associated infrastructure at Youanmi.
Approval of the MDCP and the start of early construction works is anticipated in early 2026, while the works approval is expected to be given the go-ahead by June.
Rox received approval from the Department of Mines, Petroleum, and Exploration in October for a MDCP relating to underground mining and associated activities at Youanmi.
The company was granted a native vegetation clearing permit in August to enable the clearing of mining-related areas and land for the processing plant and tailings dam.
Production Pathway On Track
Rox’s indicative pathway to production at Youanmi remains on track, with a definitive feasibility study released last month and a $210 million capital raising in progress to finalise equity funding.
Multiple tenders for long-lead items including the fine grind mill, power supply, and oxygen plant are currently under review or at the quotation stage.
Front End Engineering Works are currently underway for the processing plant, as are a number of early workstreams such as underground development and expanding the onsite operational team structure.
The company is continuing to define near-mine and regional drilling targets and plans to refine and optimise metallurgical test work for cost-effective oxidative leaching using the ++Albion Process++ developed by Glencore Technology.
Rapid Operational Acceleration
Rox managing director Phill Wilding said Youanmi was moving towards a significant milestone.
“Mining operations at United North have rapidly accelerated over the past few weeks following the firing of the first cut in November, which marked the beginning of our journey as a gold producer,” he said.
“Our people have done a fantastic job in ramping up these works, achieving a huge amount in a relatively short timeframe and transitioning to day and night shifts to ensure we maintain the advance rates in line with expectations.”
He said the company was strengthening its position as “one of the highest-grade new gold producers in WA”.
