Manuka Resources Hits Full Gold Capacity at Wonawinta and Moves to Weekly Sales
Key Takeaways
- Wonawinta reached full gold processing capacity in under two months from the 22 August 2026 restart, with a second gold delivery now heading to the ABC refinery in Sydney.
- Manuka is moving from fortnightly to weekly gold sales, replacing a cycle projected at A$3.0M-A$4.0M per fortnight through to the end of 2026.
- That projection assumes A$6,000 per ounce gold and roughly 1,750 tonnes per day of throughput, and the announcement discloses no actual volumes, grades, revenue or margins.
- Silver circuit commissioning is scheduled for December 2026, with combined gold and silver processing expected in Q1 2027, around February.
- Feed comes from the 100%-owned Mt Boppy Gold Project, and both upcoming catalysts depend on the ramp-up going to plan.
Second gold sale underway as Wonawinta hits full gold processing capacity
Manuka Resources (ASX: MKR) has a second gold delivery from Wonawinta on route to the ABC refinery in Sydney. It follows receipt of the company’s first gold revenues earlier this month.
Wonawinta gold processing has also reached full capacity, using gold-bearing material from the 100%-owned Mt Boppy Gold Project. Executive Chairman Dennis Karp said the company is “continuing to deliver on the milestones we set for the restart of the operation.”
Going from restart to full capacity in under two months suggests the company is hitting the milestones it set itself.
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From restart to full capacity in under two months
Ramp-up timeline
The announcement outlines a clear sequence of steps:
- Gold processing recommenced on 22 August 2026
- Progressive ramp-up of plant throughput, gold recovery and gold loading
- Full gold processing capacity now reached
- First gold revenues received earlier this month, with the second delivery now underway
The announcement does not disclose production volumes, grades, revenue or margins. It says only that gold operations are targeting strong operating profits.
Shift to weekly gold sales
Manuka will move from its initial fortnightly sales cycle to weekly gold sales, providing regular cash inflows from the operation. It intends to keep reporting gold sold and key plant operating metrics.
The initial fortnightly cycle behind Manuka’s first gold revenues was projected at A$3.0M-A$4.0M per fortnight through to the end of 2026, based on an assumed gold price of A$6,000 per ounce and a plant processing roughly 1,750 tonnes per day.
For you as an investor, that means more frequent cash inflows and more data to track the operation’s progress.
Dennis Karp, Executive Chairman
“We have moved rapidly from restarting production in late-August to establishing consistent gold production and steady revenues…”
How a gold-then-silver restart works
A processing plant does not have to restart everything at once. Here, gold comes first, while a second circuit for silver is prepared.
The logic is simple. Gold sales bring in early cash inflows while the silver circuit is commissioned, and combined processing later broadens what the plant produces.
Manuka’s strategy is to establish Wonawinta as a “long-life, multi-source precious metals production hub in the Cobar Basin.”
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Silver commissioning and the road to combined processing
The next steps are mapped out below, with later items expected rather than guaranteed.
| Milestone | Timing | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Gold processing recommenced | **22 Aug 2026** | Complete |
| First gold revenues | Earlier in October 2026 | Received |
| Second gold sale | **16 Oct 2026** | Underway |
| Weekly gold sales | Transition under way | Expected |
| Silver circuit commissioning | **December 2026** | Scheduled |
| Combined gold and silver processing | **Q1 2027** (around **February 2027**) | Expected |
Near-term priorities include:
- Maintaining consistent gold production through the remainder of the year
- Preparing the silver circuit
- Continuing to report operating metrics
The next catalysts to watch are silver commissioning in December 2026 and the expected transition to combined processing in Q1 2027. Both depend on the ramp-up going to plan.
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