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Brightstar Resources Limited (ASX: BTR) (Brightstar, or the Company) is pleased to provide an update regarding its ongoing assessment of the Brightstar Processing Facility (Brightstar Plant) located south- east of Laverton.
Following release of the Company’s recent Scoping Study (Menzies and Laverton Gold Project Mine Restart Study, ASX Announcement 06/09/2023), Brightstar is progressing with work streams under its Pre- Feasibility Study regarding the refurbishment and expansion of the Brightstar Plant to support further potential increased throughput and consequential increased annual production profile from its Laverton operations.
As part of these works, Brightstar commissioned an independent valuation of the mill and associated site infrastructure. The purpose of this report is to inform the appropriate level of insurance cover to protect these strategic assets while the Company continues its regional development and assessment of potential options to commence accelerated production operations.
This report has valued the Brightstar Plant and associated infrastructure at $60.9 million on an “as new” replacement value basis.
Brightstar Plant looking from the North-West
Brightstar’s Managing Director, Alex Rovira, commented:
“The Brightstar Processing Plant and related infrastructure represents a significant advantage from a time and cost perspective for Brightstar as we advance towards re-start of mining operations at the Menzies and Laverton Gold Projects. As outlined in the recently released Scoping Study, the ability to execute a low-cost refurbishment and expansion of the processing infrastructure is a key strategic advantage for the Company that differentiates Brightstar from other aspiring WA gold explorers and developers. We are actively assessing opportunities to further increase the throughput of the mill to 1Mtpa to support an increased production profile at our Laverton Gold Project.”
The $60 million value on an ‘as new’ basis for the existing processing and associated infrastructure represents a significant cost that we do not have to incur to build our mining operations, which in the context of continued challenging debt and equity capital markets is an important asset for our business. Many of the components of the plant are brand new and have never operated since being installed, including the gravity circuit and 450kW ball mill below."
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Brightstar Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Brightstar Resources
Investor Insight
With multiple catalysts ahead, including resource upgrades, expanded production, and further development of its Laverton, Menzies, and Sandstone hubs, Brightstar Resources presents a compelling investment case in a rising gold market.
Overview
Gold has continued to demonstrate its resilience as a store of value, with prices peaking at US$3,500.05 per ounce, its all-time high. Amid ongoing global economic uncertainty, including inflationary pressures, rising geopolitical tensions, and volatile interest rate environments, investors have turned to gold as both a safe haven asset and a hedge against macroeconomic instability.
Brightstar Resources (ASX:BTR) is strategically positioned to capitalize on this environment as a low-cost, multi-asset gold developer with near-term production potential. The company controls over 1,500 square kilometers of highly prospective ground across three of Western Australia’s most prolific gold belts: the Laverton Tectonic Zone, the Menzies Shear Zone, and the Sandstone Greenstone Belt.
Unlike many junior exploration companies, Brightstar has a key differentiator: it owns a fully permitted, strategically located processing facility near Laverton. This existing infrastructure offers the company a critical advantage, enabling a low-capex restart scenario and faster time to cash flow compared to peers who must first secure permits and fund costly plant construction. This plant is subject of a DFS due for announcement in June 2025.
Through a focused multi-hub strategy, Brightstar has built a robust pipeline of development-ready and resource-growth projects, supported by:
- Over 3 million ounces of gold resources across Laverton, Menzies, and Sandstone;
- Ongoing high-grade drilling success in 2024 and 2025, including intercepts of up to 10m @ 43.8 g/t gold;
- A track record of low-cost, value-accretive acquisitions, such as Linden Gold Alliance and Alto Metals;
- A dedicated, in-house technical team executing on aggressive exploration, fast-tracked studies, and staged development.
With global gold demand remaining strong, Brightstar is well-positioned to deliver material shareholder value through its integrated production plan, supported by scalable infrastructure, a growing resource base, and access to capital. The company’s strategic approach includes combining brownfields development, organic exploration, and corporate M&A, placing it at the forefront of a new generation of Australian gold producers.
Company Highlights
- ASX-listed gold exploration and development company with a consolidated mineral endowment of 3 Moz of gold across Laverton, Menzies, and Sandstone hubs in Western Australia.
- Owns and operates 100 percent of project areas: 300 sq km in Laverton Tectonic Zone, 80 sq km in Menzies Shear Zone, and 1,200 sq km in Sandstone Greenstone Belt.
- Gold processing operations at the Laverton facility have commenced under an Ore Purchase Agreement (OPA) with Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX:GMD), marking a significant milestone in transitioning from exploration to production.
- Recent drilling campaigns have yielded strong high-grade results, including:
- 16m @ 8.0 g/t gold at Second Fortune (Laverton)
- 10m @ 43.8 g/t gold at Musketeer (Sandstone)
- 16m @ 8.0 g/t gold at Yunndaga (Menzies)
- Following the successful Linden Gold Alliance acquisition, Brightstar has commenced a DFS for the wider development of its Laverton and Menzies assets which is due for release imminently in June 2025.
- Ongoing Sandstone drilling continues to return high-grade intercepts, further supporting project advancement and MRE conversion.
- In 2024, Brightstar signed a $4 million drill-for-equity deal with Topdrill to fast-track exploration at Sandstone.
- The company has successfully executed a US$11.5 million (AU$18 million) revolving stockpile finance facility with Ocean Partners Australia.
Key Projects
Laverton Hub
Brightstar’s Laverton hub is comprised of the Cork Tree Well, Jasper Hills, Second Fortune, Beta and Alpha project areas.
Highlights:
- Combined, the Laverton Hub JORC mineral resource estimate is 15.7 Mt @ 1.7 g/t gold for 848 koz (49 percent measured and indicated category). All mineral resources are on granted mining leases
- Cork Tree Well (6.4 Mt at 1.4 g/t gold for 292 koz gold)
- Alpha (1.4 Mt at 2.3 g/t gold for 106 koz gold)
- Beta (1.9 Mt at 1.7 g/t gold for 102 koz gold)
- Lord Byron (5.2 Mt at 1.5 g/t gold for 251 koz gold)
- Fish (376 kt at 4.0 g/t gold for 49 koz gold)
- Second Fortune (92 kt at 13.4 g/t gold for 40 koz gold)
- Gilt Key (168 kt at 1.3 g/t gold for 8 koz gold)
- Main project area Cork Tree Well is open at depth and along strike with recent drilling results of 34.4 meters at 7.94 g/t gold from 43.5 meters (CTWMET004) and 27.6 meters at 17.8 g/t gold from 51 m (CTWMET003)
- Second Fortune has a mineral resource estimate head grade of ~11g/t gold with an average ore body width of 0.6 meters.
- Jasper Hills is located 50 km from Brightstar’s existing processing facility along a wholly-owned private haul road, allowing unimpeded, direct access to both projects
- Permitted, previously mined and production-ready
- Last mined by current owners in 2020 with 23,000 oz gold mined
- Growth Drivers:
- Second Fortune: Consistent, stable production and cash generation through 2025
- Fish: Mining activities have commenced and site establishment is continuing.
- First ore production targeted in June
- Open pits development: Large scale production opportunities through mining Lord Byron and Cork Tree Well as multi-year base load ore sources
- DFS: due for delivery in June 2025, including design and costs for expansion of BTR-owned processing infrastructure to 1Mtpa.
Menzies Hub
The Menzies Hub comprises a tenement holding of a contiguous land package of granted mining leases over a strike length of more than 20 km. The majority of deposits hosted along the Menzies Shear Zone are located adjacent to the Goldfields Highway in Menzies (130km north of Kalgoorlie).
Highlights:
- Total Current Resource: 12.7 Mt at 1.4 g/t gold for 589 koz gold (37 percent measured and indicated)
- DFS: due for delivery in June 2025, including design and costs for open pit and underground mining for toll processing/ore sales to a regional Kalgoorlie-Menzies mill.
- Growth Drivers:
- Lady Shenton Open Pit: Proposed multi-year consistent open pit production to provide cash generation. Targeting approvals received and ‘mine ready’ in 2025
- Yunndaga Underground: Planned infill drilling targeting conversion of Inferred Mineral Resources to M+I to support inclusion in future mining operations – recent results from this program include 16m @ 8.0 g/t gold
- Development: Advancing discussions with regional mills for 3rd party processing capacity in the Kalgoorlie-Menzies region, targeting a mining decision.
Sandstone Hub
The consolidated Sandstone project is over 100 km from existing third-party milling operations in the Murchison. This third processing hub boasts Alto’s Sandstone project with a mineral resource of 1.05 Moz at 1.4 g/t gold and Gateway’s Montague gold project with a mineral resource of 0.5 Moz @ 1.6 g/t gold.
Growth Drivers:
- Sandstone: Upgrade the Lords, Vanguard, Indomitable and Havilah camps to Indicated classification (40,000m RC+DD)
- Montague: Infill Montague and Whistler to Indicated classification (5,000m RC and 1,200m DD) – RC
- Greenfields: Follow up drilling of priority prospects across Sandstone Hub (West Hacks, Hancocks, Bulchina, Lords Corridor, Duplex) – recent drilling success includes exceptional intercepts at the Musketeer prospect yielding 10m @ 43.8 g/t gold
- Pre-Feasibility Study: Incorporation of 2025 drilling results into MRE upgrades to then factor into 1H 2026 Sandstone PFS
Management Team
Alex Rovira - Managing Director
Alex Rovira is a qualified geologist and an experienced investment banker having focused on the metals and mining sector since 2013. Rovira has experience in ASX equity capital markets activities, including capital raisings, IPOs and merger and acquisitions.
Richard Crookes - Non-executive Chairman
Richard Crookes has over 35 years’ experience in the resources and investments industries. He is a geologist by training having previously worked as the chief geologist and mining manager of Ernest Henry Mining in Australia.
Crookes is managing partner of Lionhead Resources, a critical minerals investment fund and formerly an investment director at EMR Capital. Prior to that he was an executive director in Macquarie Bank’s Metals Energy Capital (MEC) division where he managed all aspects of the bank’s principal investments in mining and metals companies.
Andrew Rich - Executive Director
Andrew Rich is a degree qualified mining engineer from the WA School of Mines and has obtained a WA First Class Mine Managers Certificate. Rich has a strong background in underground gold mining with experience predominantly in the development of underground mines at Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) and Westgold Resources (ASX:WGX).
Ashley Fraser - Non-executive Director
Ashley Fraser is an accomplished mining professional with over 30 years experience across gold and bulk commodities. Fraser was a founder of Orionstone (which merged with Emeco in a $660-million consolidation) and is a founder/owner of Blue Cap Mining and Blue Cap Equities.
Jonathan Downes - Non-executive Director
Jonathan Downes has over 30 years’ experience in the minerals industry and has worked in various geological and corporate capacities. Experienced with gold and base metals, he has been intimately involved with the exploration process through to production. Downes is currently the managing director of Kaiser Reef, a high grade gold producer, and non-executive director of Cazaly Resources.
Dean Vallve – Chief Development Officer
Dean Vallve holds technical qualifications in geology & mining engineering from the WA School of Mines, an MBA, and a WA First Class Mine Managers Certificate. Vallve was previously in senior mining and study roles at ASX listed mid-cap resources companies Hot Chili (ASX:HCH) and Calidus Resources (ASX:CAI).
Nicky Martin – Chief Financial Officer
Nicky Martin is an experienced finance and accounting professional holding tertiary qualifications in accounting and finance and is a qualified CPA. Martin was previously the Head of Finance at Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) where she oversaw and was actively involved in a rapidly growing mining success story.
Emerging gold producer and district-scale resource developer in Western Australia
Equity Metals
Investor Insight
Equity Metals offers investors exposure to high-grade silver and gold discoveries in British Columbia through a dual-track strategy of expanding its flagship Silver Queen resource and advancing the newly acquired Arlington district.
Overview
Equity Metals (TSXV:EQTY,OTCQB:EQMEF,FSE:EGSD) is fast-tracking exploration at its 100 percent owned Silver Queen project in British Columbia, targeting resource expansion and derisking of one of the province's most prospective high-grade polymetallic deposits. Located within the prolific Skeena Arch near the historic Equity Silver and Huckleberry mines, Silver Queen boasts an NI 43-101 compliant resource of 62.8 million ounces (Moz) silver equivalent (indicated) and 22.5 Moz silver equivalent (inferred), with 2024 drilling extending known zones and identifying new mineralized areas.
Complementing this is the Arlington gold-copper-silver project, a newly acquired district-scale, never-before drill-tested project located in southern BC's Greenwood Mining Division. With analogues to historic producers like Phoenix and Buckhorn, Arlington is being aggressively explored with 3,000 meters of drilling underway, focused on delineating high-grade gold-enriched polymetallic mineralization.
Parameters for the NI 43-101 Compliant Mineral Resource Estimate are in the Appendix and in the EQTY News Release, dated Dec 1, 2022
Together, Silver Queen and Arlington offer a balanced exposure to high-grade polymetallic and gold-rich systems. The former provides near-term resource expansion and development optionality, while the latter opens up district-scale discovery potential.
In addition, Equity Metals holds interests in the Monument and WO diamond properties in the Lac de Gras region (Northwest Territories), proximal to the Diavik and Ekati mines, and the La Ronge silica project in Saskatchewan. These projects offer upside optionality for strategic partnerships or asset sales.
Company Highlights
- Flagship High-grade Project – Silver Queen: Over 85 million silver-equivalent ounces defined in the heart of BC's Skeena Arch mineral belt, surrounded by Tier 1 infrastructure and historical producers.
- New Gold Discovery Potential – Arlington project: A district-scale, early-stage gold-copper-silver system with analogues to major past-producing skarn and vein-hosted mines in the region.
- Fully Funded for 2025: 9,000 meters of combined drilling is underway across both Silver Queen and Arlington with assay results expected to drive news flow through Q3 and Q4 2025.
- Experienced Management and Technical Team: Track record of discovery and mine development across North America, including the Penasquito and Eskay Creek mines and the Wind Mountain project.
- Exposure to Critical and Precious Metals: Balanced portfolio spanning silver, gold, copper and diamonds with optionality in battery materials (silica) and critical minerals.
Key Projects
Silver Queen Project
The Silver Queen project is Equity Metals’ 100 percent owned flagship asset located in central British Columbia’s prolific Skeena Arch, approximately 35 km south of Houston. This 18,871-hectare property consists of 17 crown-granted titles and 46 tenure claims in the Omineca Mining Division. Surrounded by past-producing and active mines, including the Equity silver mine, Berg, Endako and Mt. Milligan, the project benefits from established infrastructure such as roads, power and rail access.
Silver Queen hosts a high-grade polymetallic system featuring silver, gold, copper, lead and zinc mineralization. The project is underpinned by a robust NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate (as of December 2022) consisting of 62.8 million ounces (Moz) silver-equivalent (AgEq) in the indicated category grading 565 grams per ton (g/t) AgEq, and 22.5 Moz AgEq in the inferred category grading 365 g/t AgEq. This includes 3.46 million tons (Mt) of indicated resources averaging 189 g/t silver, 2.13 g/t gold, 0.24 percent copper, 0.6 percent lead, and 3.5 percent zinc, and 1.92 Mt of inferred resources grading 167 g/t silver, 0.82 g/t gold, 0.23 percent copper, 0.5 percent lead, and 2 percent zinc.
The mineralization occurs in multiple steeply dipping epithermal vein systems, subdivided into the No. 3, NG-3, Camp and Sveinson veins. Each exhibits distinct metal zonation – the Camp veins are silver-dominant, while the Sveinson, No. 3 and NG-3 show a stronger gold bias. Bonanza grades have been intercepted at multiple locations, including down-hole drill core intervals assaying up to 56,115 g/t silver over 0.3 metres in recent drill results. High sulphide and low sulphide vein environments have both been identified, suggesting a long-lived and multi-phase mineralizing event.
Since late 2020, Equity has completed 52,877 meters of drilling in 146 holes, targeting extensions and new zones of mineralization. In 2024 alone, four target areas – George Lake, Camp North, No. 3 North and Camp-Sveinson – were tested via 17,209 meters across 42 holes. Drilling resulted in the delineation of a 550-metre strike-length for mineralization in the George Lake target and a 400-metre strike-length for mineralization in the No. 3 North target, as well as several extensions of earlier identified veins in the Camp Deposit and a new discovery in the Camp North target. A 6,000-meter 2025 drilling program will further test these zones with updated modeling and resource growth expected in Q3 2025.
Metallurgical testing completed in both 1988 and 2022 yielded positive recoveries: 83 percent gold, 95 percent silver, 93 percent copper, 91 percent lead, and 98 percent zinc. A follow-up metallurgical program is planned to support preliminary development studies. With extensive underground development (~9 km of historic workings) and proximity to key infrastructure, the Silver Queen project is well positioned for advancement toward economic studies and ultimately, a potential strategic transaction.
Arlington Project
The Arlington project is a 3,584-hectare, early-stage exploration asset located in southern British Columbia’s Greenwood Mining Division, approximately 65 km south of Kelowna. The project sits within the prolific Quesnel Terrane and is accessible year-round via Highway 33 and a network of logging roads. The region hosts several historical producers including the Buckhorn, Phoenix, and Beaverdell mines, which have collectively yielded more than 2 Moz gold, 6 Moz silver and 500 Mlb copper.
Arlington encompasses multiple mineral occurrences and at least four deposit styles across a more than 5 km strike length. Historic and recent surface work has confirmed high-grade mineralization with rock samples returning values up to 11.67 g/t gold, 211 g/t silver, and 3.22 percent copper. The 2025 exploration program, currently underway, includes a 3,000-metre drill campaign primarily targeting the Fresh Pots gold-silver anomaly – a large (2 km x 1 km) intrusion-related gold system delineated by multi-element soil geochemistry and magnetic lows.
Other high-priority targets include:
- Rona Porphyry Target: A copper-molybdenum-gold system with pyroxenite intrusive-hosted mineralization. Rock chip assays have returned >1 percent molybdenum, 0.6 g/t gold, and 32.4 g/t silver. The area is characterized by a large copper-nickel soil anomaly and widespread argillic alteration in adjacent sedimentary rocks.
- Arlington Polymetallic Veins: A structurally controlled vein system with documented historic workings. Highlights include Arlington South (11.67 g/t gold, 3.22 percent copper) and Arlington North (1.86 g/t gold, 1.07 percent copper), suggesting vertical metal zonation and potential for stacked vein systems.
- Skarn and Replacement Targets: Notably at the Bru and Arlington zones, analogous to Buckhorn and Phoenix, where gold-copper magnetite skarns produced over 1 Moz historically.
In early 2025, Equity Metals completed a property-wide airborne magnetic/radiometric survey and LiDAR mapping campaign to refine targeting. Soil and till geochemistry, IP surveying and mapping continue across the license area to delineate follow-up drill targets for 2026.
Management Team
Lawrence Page – Chairman and Director
A seasoned mining executive with over four decades of experience, Lawrence Page has helped finance and develop several major discoveries including Penasquito (Mexico), Eskay Creek and Hemlo. He brings strategic oversight and a deep network within the exploration and capital markets community.
Joseph A. Kizis Jr. – President and Director
With over 40 years of mineral exploration experience, Joseph Kizis has been instrumental in advancing gold, silver and base metal projects across North America. He is also president of Bravada Gold and has played key roles in advancing Wind Mountain in Nevada and Homestake Ridge in BC.
Robert W.J. Macdonald – VP Exploration
Robert Macdonald leads Equity Metals’ technical team and brings extensive epithermal and porphyry system expertise. His past project experience includes Homestake Ridge in BC and Cerro Las Minitas in Mexico, and he is the Qualified Person for all technical disclosures.
Killian Ruby – CFO and Director
As president and CEO of Malaspina Consultants and a former senior manager at KPMG LLP, Killian Ruby brings financial discipline, governance strength and tax expertise. He also serves as CFO for several junior resource companies.
John Kerr – Director
A professional engineer with five decades of exploration experience, John Kerr has contributed to the discovery and development of projects such as Santa Fe and Mindora in Nevada, and Frasergold in BC.
Courtney Shearer – Director
Courtney Shearer has served in executive and advisory roles with multiple Canadian mining companies, including San Gold Corporation, where he led strategic evaluations and project planning initiatives.
Arie Page – Corporate Secretary
Arie Page provides legal and corporate compliance support and has served as corporate secretary for numerous public companies within the Manex Resource Group.
Appendix:
Silver Queen Mineral Resource Estimate (NI 43-101 Compliant, Dec. 1, 2022) (C$100 NSR cut-off)
- The current Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., of Kirkham Geosystems Ltd and Eugene Puritch, P. Eng., FEC, CET and Fred Brown, P, Geo. of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. (“P&E”), Independent Qualified Persons (“QP”), as defined by National instrument 43-101.
- All Mineral Resources have been estimated in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) definitions, as required under National Instrument 43-101 (“NI43-101”).
- Mineral Resources were constrained using continuous mining units demonstrating reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction.
- Silver and Gold Equivalents were calculated from the interpolated block values using relative process recoveries and prices between the component metals and silver to determine a final AgEq and AuEq values.
- Silver and Gold Equivalents and NSR$/t values were calculated using average long-term prices of $20/oz silver, $1,700/oz gold, $3.50/lb copper, $0.95/lb lead and $1.45/lb zinc. All metal prices are stated in $USD. The C$100/tonne NSR cut-off grade value for the underground Mineral Resource was derived from mining costs of C$70/t, with process costs of C$20/t and G&A of C$10/t. Process recoveries used were Au 70%, Ag 80%, Cu 80%, Pb 81% and Zn 90%.
- Grade capping was performed on 1m composites for the No. 3 and NG-3 veins and whole vein composites for the Camp and Sveinson veins. For the No. 3 and NG-3 veins Inverse distance cubed (I/d3) was utilized for grade interpolation for Au and Ag and inverse distance squared (I/d2) was utilized for Cu, Pb and Zn. Inverse distance squared (I/d2) was used for all metals in the Camp and Sveinson veins.
- A bulk density of 3.56t/m3 was used for all tonnage calculations in the No. 3 and NG-3 veins. A variable density with a 3.15 average was used for the Camp and Sveinson veins.
- Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves until they have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral Resource Estimates do not account for a Mineral Resource’s mineability, selectivity, mining loss, or dilution.
- An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
- All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and therefore numbers may not appear to add precisely.
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