Australian miner Bellevue Gold said mining has started at the Vanguard open pit at its namesake project in Western Australia with mining contractor NRW Holdings fully mobilised.

Mining at the open pit will offer Bellevue the opportunity to generate early cashflow via a toll-treating arrangement. Bellevue said it is currently exploring toll-treatment options with mining companies in the region.

Vanguard is scheduled to provide 10,000 ounces of gold, available for processing in mid-2023, in advance of the projected completion of the 1-million-tonnes-per-annum nameplate processing facility. 

Separately, the miner said underground development at the project continues to advance well with over 10 kilometres completed. 

The Bellevue Gold project is located 40 km to the northwest of Leinster in the Goldfields region. Once operational, the mine is projected to be one of the highest-grade, lowest cost mines in Australia with the first five years producing an average of more than 200,000 oz. per year at an all-in sustaining cost of A$1,000-1,100 per ounce.

Source: Bellevue Gold