Brightstar Resources is upgrading its legacy Beta mill near Laverton into a 1.5 Mtpa gold processing hub, targeting ore from its Cork Tree Well, Menzies and Laverton projects in Western Australia’s north-eastern Goldfields. The refurbishment includes modern gravity and CIL circuits, new crushing and screening equipment, and structural repairs to the existing plant rather than a greenfield build. For mine planners and process engineers, the hub-and-spoke model reduces haul distances to a central mill and enables staged feed blending from multiple open pits and underground sources.

High-grade copper and zinc intercepts from recent drilling at 29Metals’ Golden Grove mine in Western Australia are boosting confidence in extending mine life and upgrading resources. Step-out and infill holes around the Gossan Hill and Scuddles lenses have returned multiple thick sulphide zones, including massive and stringer mineralisation with grades reported as well above current reserve averages. The results support further underground development targeting deeper extensions of the volcanic-hosted massive sulphide system, with planning now focused on converting inferred tonnes and optimising sequencing of copper- versus zinc-dominant stopes.

BHP has reported record production from its Australian iron ore and copper operations, driven by higher copper prices and consistently strong output across key assets. The company’s flagship Pilbara iron ore hubs and major copper operations such as Olympic Dam and the Escondida joint venture are running at or near nameplate capacity, supporting lower unit costs and stronger cash flow. For mine planners and geotechs, sustained high throughput signals continued demand for pit expansion, waste dump development and tailings storage optimisation across BHP’s portfolio.