New Murchison Gold Limited

Ore Purchase Agreement with Westgold Resources Unlocks Gold Production from Crown Prince

New Murchison Gold Limited (ASX: NMG) (“NMG” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding agreement with Big Bell Gold Operations Pty Ltd (BBGO), a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Westgold Resources Limited (ASX: WGX, TSX: WGX, OTCQX: WGXRF) (Westgold) in relation to the purchase of gold ore from the Crown Prince deposit.


HIGHLIGHTS

  • New Murchison Gold (NMG) and Westgold Resources (Westgold) have entered into an Ore Purchase Agreement (OPA) which will underpin production from NMG’s Crown Prince deposit near Meekatharra, Western Australia in 2025.
  • Subject to final regulatory permitting, under the OPA, NMG will commence mining from a new open pit operation at Crown Prince with a targeted commencement date of mid-2025.
  • Ore will be hauled 33km by road to the Bluebird Gold Processing Plant, part of Westgold’s Murchison Gold Operations at Meekatharra.
  • Ore will be sold to Westgold in several parcels (Ore Parcels) totalling 30-50kt per month with each Ore Parcel certified for grade, moisture and recovery from sampling at the Crown Prince site and a recovery factor agreed for each mining bench from test work replicating the Bluebird Mill circuit.
  • The OPA has no fixed term although NMG envisages that most of Crown Prince ore is likely to be processed in an “Initial Period” which runs over the first 24 months of the agreement. Thereafter ore tonnages are to be agreed on a rolling three-month basis once production forecasts have been completed by NMG and Westgold has confirmed mill availability.
  • Westgold will purchase ore from NMG based on contained gold in each Ore Parcel at the prevailing AUD gold price in the month the Ore Parcel is collected (minus processing costs and a capital recovery charge). Westgold must promptly collect Ore Parcels that are available for collection.
  • The OPA is subject to shareholder approval (Listing Rule 10.1 requirement) at a general meeting of NMG shareholders to be held in late January or early February 2025.
  • NMG and Westgold have also entered into an ancillary agreement (Licence and Access Water Discharge Deed) which facilitates NMG’s potential dewatering requirements at Crown Prince.

Alex Passmore, NMG’s CEO commented: "We are very pleased to announce the Ore Purchase Agreement with Westgold as it sees both companies working together to support the development of NMG’s Crown Prince deposit in a capitally efficient manner.

We see this Agreement as beneficial to all shareholders with Westgold acquiring additional high grade oxide ore feed to supplement its Meekatharra operations and NMG transitioning to a producer for modest capital.

The Bluebird Processing Plant owned by Westgold is ideal for NMG due to its close proximity and well-matched metallurgical process. We believe the robust frameworks and protocols we have put in place in this Agreement aligns both operational teams to a common goal of maximizing operational efficiency.

We thank the Westgold team for the technical and commercial work that has led to this Agreement and look forward to working collaboratively in making the development of Crown Prince a success”

Crown Prince is located to the north of Meekatharra, around 33km via road to the Bluebird Gold Processing Plant (Bluebird) owned and operated by BBGO. Westgold and NMG have been working collaboratively on the OPA to manage technical risks and to share economic synergies which are available via the partnering of production from the Crown Prince deposit and milling at Bluebird.

Key Terms of the OPA are outlined in the Table below and will be explained fully in a Notice of Meeting to be sent to NMG shareholders in December. The NMG shareholder meeting is likely to be held in late January or early February 2025. As a result of Westgold’s 18.7% ownership of NMG, it is deemed a related party under the ASX Listing Rules and so the OPA includes a condition precedent of NMG obtaining shareholder approval under Listing Rule 10.1.

BDO Corporate Finance Australia Pty Ltd (BDO) has been engaged to provide an opinion and Independent Expert’s Report to accompany the Notice of Meeting to assist shareholders in their considerations of whether or not to approve the OPA moving into operation.

Should the conditions precedent be met (shareholder approval) the OPA will come into effect with NMG expecting mining approvals to be received in early April 2025. Once mining operations commence, and ore stockpiles are built up, it is anticipated that first Ore Parcel sales will occur in September 2025.

The company is working towards an ore reserve estimate to provide further detail on the economics of the project which is to be released shortly.

Plan of Access and Water Infrastructure - Crown Prince

Authorised for release to ASX by the Board of New Murchison Gold Limited.


Click here for the full ASX Release

This article includes content from New Murchison Gold Limited, 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.

NMG:AU
New Murchison Gold Limited

New Murchison Gold Limited Investor Kit

  • Corporate info
  • Insights
  • Growth strategies
  • Upcoming projects

GET YOUR FREE INVESTOR KIT

The Conversation (0)
Gold bars, up arrow.

Gold Price Forecast: Top Trends That Will Affect Gold in 2025

The gold price saw incredible momentum in 2024, gaining almost 30 percent during the period.

As the start of 2025 approaches, the world is facing a great deal of uncertainty. Several regions are experiencing geopolitical instability, and a new US president could bring further chaos to an already fragile global economy.

What does this mean for gold, and what should investors expect in the new year?

Keep reading...Show less
A shopping cart with coins and candy cane.

Rick Rule and Friends Give Investors the “Gift” of Stock Picks in New Orleans

While prices for key metals have been moving this year, many resource sector investors have been disappointed that mining stocks haven't performed as strongly as they would have hoped in these circumstances.

During the popular mining share panel at the New Orleans Investment Conference, moderator and well-known resource sector investor and speculator Rick Rule invited the panelists to offer insights on the cause of this discrepancy, which has raised questions about market fundamentals and the true drivers of valuation in the sector.

The group, made up of Nick Hodge, Brien Lundin, Lawrence Lepard, Lobo Tiggre and Jennifer Shaigec, also discussed when the tide may turn for mining stocks and which companies they are investing in or watching.

Keep reading...Show less
Jp Cortez, gold bars.

Jp Cortez: Gold, Silver in Sound Money Renaissance, Bullish on Prices and Progress

Speaking to the Investing News Network, Jp Cortez, executive director at Sound Money Defense League, discussed the state of sound money in the US, honing in on key state-level victories this year.

He highlighted that seven states in the country passed various types of sound money legislation. Some removed taxes on precious metals, while others reaffirmed gold and silver as legal tender.

Utah went further, allowing for a US$180 million investment in gold to be stored on the state's balance sheet.

Keep reading...Show less
Omar ayales, gold bars.

Omar Ayales: Gold, Silver, Juniors Have Explosive Upside — Not Being in Trade is Top Risk

Speaking to the Investing News Network, Omar Ayales of Gold Charts R Us discussed the outlook for gold from a technical perspective, saying that he sees the metal's price potentially peaking in 2026.

Gold's past performance indicates that it could reach US$4,000 per ounce during this cycle. He sees US$2,600 as a bullish support level for gold, with deeper support existing in the US$2,200 to US$2,300 range.

However, Ayales said there's no guarantee that the yellow metal will fall that low at this point.

Keep reading...Show less
Business handshake.

Newmont to Sell Cripple Creek & Victor Mine Amid Firm-wide Restructuring

Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) announced the sale of its Cripple Creek & Victor mine in Colorado, US, to SSR Mining (TSX:SSRM,NASDAQ:SSRM) for up to US$275 million, continuing its ongoing restructuring efforts.

Under the terms of the deal, Newmont will receive US$100 million in cash upon closing, with an additional US$175 million contingent on regulatory approvals and conditions related to the Carlton Tunnel.

Newmont has agreed to bear 90 percent of potential closure costs exceeding US$500 million under a future regulator-approved closure plan. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.

Keep reading...Show less
New Murchison Gold Limited

New Murchison Gold Limited Investor Kit

  • Corporate info
  • Insights
  • Growth strategies
  • Upcoming projects

GET YOUR FREE INVESTOR KIT

Latest Press Releases

Related News

×