Riversgold Files Final Regulatory Hurdle at Kalgoorlie Gold Project Before Mining

Mining plan lodged as Kalgoorlie Gold Project approaches final approvals

Riversgold Limited (ASX: RGL) has lodged the Mine Development and Closure Proposal (MDCP) for the Northern Zone open pit at its Kalgoorlie Gold Project, located 25km east of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Submitted to the WA Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration (DMPE) on 30 September 2026, the MDCP represents the last major governmental regulatory approval required before mining can begin.

David Lenigas, Chairman

“Lodging the MDCP is a major step forward for Riversgold. With the mining lease granted, the surface vegetation clearing permit lodged and the haul road objections resolved, Northern Zone can now move towards final governmental permitting…”

Where the project stands — the approval pathway

The MDCP lodgement is the culmination of a methodical permitting campaign. The mining lease was granted earlier this year, haul road objections have been resolved, and the vegetation clearing application has been filed. The table below summarises the current status of each approval.

The mining lease was granted in July 2026, securing a 21-year tenure over the Northern Zone project area and establishing the foundational land access right that made the MDCP submission possible.

Alongside the MDCP lodgement, the Right to Mine and Co-operation Agreement (RMCA) between Riversgold, Oracle Gold, MEGA Resources and Bain Global has been extended 12 months to 30 September 2027. The extension, on the same terms and conditions precedent, provides time for all remaining permits to be granted and for mining to commence, which is expected well within that timeframe.

What is an MDCP — and why does it matter for investors?

In Western Australia, the Mine Development and Closure Proposal (MDCP) is the principal operating approval for a mining project. It combines the mining proposal and mine closure plan into a single document, assessed by the DMPE, and must be approved before a company can break ground. Receiving MDCP approval is, in practical terms, the final gateway between a permitted mining lease and an operating mine.

For the Northern Zone, the MDCP was prepared by Riversgold and MEGA Resources together with Resources WA, incorporating months of technical work. Technical Director Ed Mead outlined what the document contains:

Ed Mead, Technical Director

“The MDCP brings together months of technical work, including geotechnical drilling for pit design, ground water studies, environmental baseline studies and closure planning. It gives regulators a clear, well-supported plan for a safe, responsible operation at Northern Zone…”

Specifically, the Northern Zone MDCP encompasses:

• Open pit dimensions and disturbance footprint
• Waste rock landform and ROM pad
• Haul road access and water management
• Site infrastructure
• Baseline environmental, heritage and geotechnical studies

For investors, the significance is straightforward. With the MDCP now lodged, the MDCP is subject to DMPE assessment and final approval, along with the relevant government bodies approving the NVCP and MDCP before mining can begin.

Northern Zone geology and the funded path to production

The Northern Zone gold deposit is hosted within a blind porphyry, specifically a Tonalite-Trondhjemite Intrusion (TTI), sitting within the Cannon Shear Zone. A blind porphyry is a mineralised intrusive body that does not outcrop at surface — it sits entirely beneath the ground, which is why systematic drilling is required to define it. Key characteristics of the deposit include:

• Diamond drilled to a vertical depth of over 500m
• Pervasive near-surface gold mineralisation to widths approaching 600m (source: ASX announcement 18 September 2024)
• Deposit is dry to at least 60m depth, making it well suited to air-core and reverse circulation (RC) drilling
• Mineralisation is open in all directions, indicating further resource potential
• Starter pit targets weathered and transition zones, with road transport to third-party processing facilities in the goldfields

The funding structure is a standout element of the investment case. Under the 50/50 Right to Mine and Co-operation Agreement, MEGA Resources fully funds mine development. No upfront development capital is required from Riversgold, which materially reduces the financial execution risk that typically accompanies a junior miner’s path to first production.

With the regulatory pathway now largely complete, three immediate steps follow:

For investors wanting to understand the geological work that shaped the Northern Zone resource picture, our deep-dive into Riversgold’s Kalgoorlie drilling campaign covers the air-core and RC programs that delineated the mineralisation now at the centre of the mine development proposal.

1. DMPE assessment of the MDCP and response to any information requests
2. Grant of the Native Vegetation Clearing Permit and haul road Miscellaneous Licences
3. Site establishment and mobilisation by MEGA Resources once all government approvals are in place

Ready to Learn More About the Kalgoorlie Gold Project’s Path to Production?

Riversgold (ASX: RGL) has now lodged the final major regulatory approval required before mining can commence at its Northern Zone open pit, with a fully funded development structure under a 50/50 agreement meaning no upfront capital is required from the company.

Explore the full details of the permitting milestone, the Northern Zone geology, and the investment case by visiting the Riversgold project page on Discovery Alert.