Native Mineral Resources (NMR) has achieved a cumulative gold outturn of 1009.53 ounces from the Blackjack gold project in Queensland since late July 2025, underlining its transition to a gold producer.
This amount excludes the latest pour on November 26, highlighting further growth as regular gold pours each month from August to November confirmed steady-state operations at Blackjack.
NMR’s progress comes just two months after it reported a mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 620,000 tonnes at 3.22 grams per tonne (g/t) gold for 64,500 ounces and 62g/t silver for 1.24 million ounces (Moz) of silver, at Granite Castle.
NMR managing director and chief executive officer Blake Cannavo said the update marks a “clear milestone” for the business and means it can now be considered a gold-producing company.
“Passing 1000 ounces (oz) of gold outturn, with regular pours every month since August, shows that Blackjack is operating at steady state and building a production base that can grow over time,” he said.
“We completed a shutdown in October that was a strategic investment in reliability.
“With the upgraded mill lubrication systems, relined bearings and control improvements, plant availability and recoveries are where we need them to be as we look at plant throughput growth with Ausenco.”
Looking closer at this milestone, NMR has completed four additional campaigns since its September 2025 smelt.
It totalled 544oz of dorè, yielding 313oz of refined gold and on November 26, completed a further smelt producing 326oz of dorè, with refinery outturn pending.
The shutdown of Blackjack’s processing plant was for 21-days, with NMR noting it delivered strong performance with the crusher mill availability above 80 per cent year-to-date, and gold recoveries consistently above 94 per cent.
The November 26 smelt produced 326z of dorè, with the final outturn to be reported once NMR receives its refinery results.
Blackjack’s processing plant featured works on long-term reliability and throughput during the shutdown period, with a series of in-house upgrades and control improvements underway.
For the site’s tailings storage facility, a stage three 2.5–metre lift continues under the Environmental Enforcement Order (EEO) issued in September.
Stage 3 involves roughly 70,000 cubic metres of embankment fill, of which approximately 42,000 cubic metres have been placed, compacted and tested; completion for this remains targeted for mid-December 2025.
“At the same time, we’re progressing a TSF expansion, Far Fanning mining plans, and all key PRCP and ERC approvals,” Cannavo said.
“These steps are about more than today’s ounces, they underpin our ambition to become a key gold producer in the Charters Towers region in the years ahead.”
To date, 11 blast holes have been completed in Blackjack’s southern pit, and one blast in the northern section, with mining in the south expected to resume in mid-January 2026.
NMR’s overall Far Fanning project also advanced, with hauling of material stockpile underway as roughly 26,000 tonnes was moved to Blackjack.
Mining for Far Fanning is slated for late fourth quarter (Q4) of 2026 and early Q1 of 2027.
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