Aurelia Metals Locks in 50% Throughput Boost Unlocking Higher Production Rates
Aurelia Metals secures final approval to lift Peak plant throughput to 1.2Mtpa
Aurelia Metals (ASX: AMI), via wholly owned subsidiary Peak Gold Mines Pty Ltd, has received a Notice of Determination from Cobar Shire Council approving an increase in the Peak processing plant throughput rate from approximately 800ktpa to 1.2Mtpa. The development consent is the final regulatory approval required to operate the Peak processing plant at the expanded rate, removing a critical bottleneck in the company’s Cobar Basin operations in western New South Wales.
The approval de-risks the ramp-up, aligning permitted capacity with Aurelia’s growth plans across its base metal mining portfolio in the region.
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What the expansion unlocks — three enabling projects
The throughput increase is supported through three named capital projects now progressing toward completion:
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Tailings & Water Management Project — A new tailings thickener was commissioned in June 2026, providing the water recycling and tailings handling capacity required to support higher mill feed rates.
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Tertiary Ball Mill Project — Progressing to schedule, with commissioning expected in Q1 FY27 (July to September 2026). This project adds grinding capacity to process the additional ore volumes enabled by the consent.
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Crushing & Materials Handling Expansion Project — Planning continues in line with the broader mine ramp-up across Aurelia’s Cobar Basin operations.
The table below summarises the status of each enabling project:
| Enabling Project | Status | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Tailings & Water Management Project | Thickener commissioned | June 2026 |
| Tertiary Ball Mill Project | On schedule | Commissioning Q1 FY27 |
| Crushing & Materials Handling Expansion | Planning underway | In line with ramp-up |
Why processing throughput matters for miners
Processing plant throughput refers to the tonnes of ore a mill can process per year. A higher throughput ceiling removes a production bottleneck, allowing more mined ore to be converted into saleable metal concentrates. This directly supports higher production volumes without requiring additional processing infrastructure.
With regulatory approval now in hand, Aurelia’s mining ramp-up is no longer constrained by an 800ktpa processing cap. The plant can now scale as mining rates increase across the Peak and Federation operations, positioning the company to capture additional revenue from existing and future underground ore sources.
This approval aligns permitted capacity with growth ambitions, enabling the company to execute its broader Cobar Basin expansion strategy.
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Management commentary and what comes next
Interim Chief Executive Officer Martin Cummings highlighted the milestone’s strategic significance:
Martin Cummings, Interim Chief Executive Officer
“The receipt of this development consent is an important milestone, aligning the approved processing capacity with our growth plans to increase mining and processing rates across our Cobar Basin operations.”
“The process plant expansion is already well advanced, with the new tailings thickener commissioned in June 2026. The Tertiary Ball Mill Project is progressing to schedule, with commissioning expected in Q1 FY27, while planning for the Crushing and Materials Handling Expansion Project continues in line with the broader mine ramp-up.”
Aurelia’s near-term operational catalyst pipeline includes:
- Tertiary Ball Mill commissioning targeted for Q1 FY27 (July to September 2026).
- Crushing & Materials Handling planning progressing alongside the broader mine ramp-up.
- Continued advancement of the Great Cobar Project, a consented, high-grade copper development located at Peak, as part of the broader Cobar Basin growth story.
Aurelia operates three underground base metal mines across two operations — Peak and Federation — in the Cobar Basin, western New South Wales. The processing plant expansion positions the company to align production with rising mining rates across its portfolio, with the Great Cobar Project representing a future high-grade copper ore source once development commences.
The approval removes a key regulatory hurdle, enabling Aurelia to execute its Cobar Basin optimisation strategy with expanded processing capacity now locked in.
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