New Murchison Gold Reports 353,700oz Group Resource as Exploration Replaces Depletion
Key Takeaways
- NMG's group mineral resource stands at 353,700oz at 2.4g/t Au as at 30 June 2026, with exploration drilling successfully replacing the 56,000oz of mining depletion from the first full year of Crown Prince production.
- Group ore reserves total 90,800oz at 2.5g/t Au, underpinned by a conservative A$3,750/oz gold price assumption and backed by actual operating performance at Crown Prince.
- A maiden ore reserve of 21,000oz at 2.2g/t has been declared at Cloudkicker, where mining is already underway, demonstrating rapid conversion from resource to active production.
- The Crown Prince underground resource of 150,400oz at 3.2g/t sits entirely outside current reserves and has been flagged by CEO Alex Passmore as the next phase of growth — the highest-grade block in the portfolio awaiting feasibility conversion.
- Near-mine deposits at Lydia (55,100oz at 1.8g/t) and Abbotts (44,500oz at 1.8g/t) are subject to ongoing infill drilling for classification upgrades, providing a pipeline of potential reserve additions without requiring new discovery.
NMG delivers 353,700oz group resource as mining depletion replaced in first full year
New Murchison Gold Limited (ASX: NMG) has released its annual JORC-compliant Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve statement as at 30 June 2026, marking a significant year-end milestone for the Crown Prince Gold Operations in Western Australia’s Murchison region.
The Group Mineral Resource totals 353,700 ounces at 2.4g/t Au across all deposits, while Group Ore Reserves stand at 90,800 ounces at 1.14 million tonnes at 2.5g/t Au, estimated using a conservative gold price assumption of A$3,750/oz. A key operational highlight is that exploration drilling has replaced mining depletion from the first full year of Crown Prince production, which commenced in July 2025.
Alex Passmore, CEO
“FY2026 has been a transformational year for New Murchison Gold. We have completed a successful first year of mining at Crown Prince, and our exploration has replaced mining depletion. Group Mineral Resources now stand at 353,700 ounces at 2.4g/t. That total includes estimates at Lydia and Abbotts and an underground Resource at Crown Prince of 150,400 ounces at 3.2g/t, which points clearly to our next phase of growth. Group Ore Reserves now total 90,800 ounces at 2.5g/t. They are backed by actual operating performance and include a maiden Ore Reserve at Cloudkicker, where mining is already underway. Our Ore Reserves use a conservative gold price of A$3,750/oz, and we have a strong pipeline of near-mine deposits and ongoing drilling. That leaves us well placed to maintain and expand production at the Crown Prince Gold Operations through 2027 and beyond.”
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Group resource and reserve breakdown at 30 June 2026
Mineral Resource by deposit
The full deposit-by-deposit breakdown of NMG’s Mineral Resource Estimate as at 30 June 2026 is presented below, incorporating mining depletion at Crown Prince open pit through to 30 June 2026.
| Deposit | Category | Tonnes | Grade (g/t Au) | Contained Gold (oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Prince OP | Measured | 263,000 | 3.5 | 29,400 |
| Crown Prince OP | Indicated | 360,000 | 3.3 | 37,900 |
| Crown Prince OP | Inferred | 14,000 | 0.8 | 400 |
| Crown Prince OP Stockpiles | — | 190,000 | 0.8 | 4,800 |
| Crown Prince OP Total | 827,000 | 2.7 | 72,500 | |
| Crown Prince UG | Measured | 12,000 | 3.3 | 1,300 |
| Crown Prince UG | Indicated | 1,081,000 | 3.6 | 126,700 |
| Crown Prince UG | Inferred | 361,000 | 1.9 | 22,400 |
| Crown Prince UG Total | 1,453,000 | 3.2 | 150,400 | |
| Cloudkicker | Indicated | 341,000 | 2.3 | 25,100 |
| Cloudkicker | Inferred | 159,000 | 1.2 | 6,100 |
| Cloudkicker Total | 499,000 | 1.9 | 31,300 | |
| Lydia | Measured | 2,000 | 17.1 | 1,100 |
| Lydia | Indicated | 474,000 | 1.7 | 26,400 |
| Lydia | Inferred | 486,000 | 1.8 | 27,600 |
| Lydia Total | 961,000 | 1.8 | 55,100 | |
| Abbotts | Inferred | 789,000 | 1.8 | 44,500 |
| Abbotts Total | 789,000 | 1.8 | 44,500 | |
| Group Total | 4,532,000 | 2.4 | 353,700 |
The standout component within this group total is the Crown Prince underground resource of 150,400oz at 3.2g/t, a high-grade block that remains outside the current Ore Reserves and represents, in the CEO’s words, the clearly identified next phase of growth.
Ore Reserve summary
All Ore Reserves are classified as Probable under JORC 2012, with the exception of Crown Prince stockpiles which are classified as Proved. The full reserve is estimated using a gold price assumption of A$3,750/oz and a cut-off grade of 0.70g/t Au.
| Deposit | Category | Tonnes | Grade (g/t Au) | Contained Gold (oz) | Cut-off (g/t Au) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Prince OP | Probable | 640,000 | 3.1 | 65,000 | 0.70 |
| Cloudkicker OP | Probable | 310,000 | 2.2 | 21,000 | 0.70 |
| Crown Prince Stockpiles | Proved | 190,000 | 0.8 | 4,800 | 0.70 |
| Total Reserves | 1,140,000 | 2.5 | 90,800 | 0.70 |
What mineral resources and ore reserves mean for investors
These two numbers measure very different things, and understanding the distinction is important for assessing any ASX gold company.
- Mineral Resource: The total gold identified in the ground across all confidence categories — Measured (highest confidence), Indicated, and Inferred (lowest confidence). This is what exploration drilling defines over time. It does not mean all of it will ever be mined.
- Ore Reserve: The portion of the Mineral Resource that has been demonstrated to be economically extractable under current costs, gold price assumptions, and selected mining methods. It is a much more conservative number and requires a higher standard of study to declare.
- JORC Code: The Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves — the Australian standard that governs how these estimates must be prepared and disclosed. All figures in this announcement are reported in accordance with the 2012 Edition of the JORC Code, compiled by independent Competent Persons.
Under ASX Listing Rule 5.21, companies must update their resource and reserve statements annually. This requirement means investors are always working from current, independently validated numbers rather than estimates that could be years out of date.
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Cloudkicker maiden reserve and the growth pipeline ahead
The inclusion of a maiden Ore Reserve at Cloudkicker (21,000oz at 2.2g/t) is a material milestone in this update. Mining at Cloudkicker is already underway, demonstrating rapid conversion from resource to active production. The deposit is located in proximity to Crown Prince, and its inclusion extends the Garden Gully Gold Operation as the next production segment in the mine plan.
At Crown Prince itself, Stage 1 open pit mining is nearing completion while Stage 2 is progressing as per the mining schedule.
Looking further ahead, the Crown Prince underground resource of 150,400oz at 3.2g/t is not yet reflected in Ore Reserves. As CEO Alex Passmore noted, this resource points clearly to the next phase of growth for the operation.
The near-mine pipeline also includes two additional deposits subject to ongoing infill and extensional drilling:
- Lydia: 55,100oz at 1.8g/t (Indicated and Inferred), subject to infill and extensional drilling to improve classification categories
- Abbotts: 44,500oz at 1.8g/t (Inferred), subject to infill and extensional drilling for classification upgrades
All ore processing occurs at Westgold’s Bluebird plant under an Ore Purchase Agreement (OPA), meaning no new processing capital is required for near-term production. Metallurgical recovery is expected to be in the range of 96% to 97% through the Bluebird CIL plant, based on actual operational performance and metallurgical test work.
Reserve movement summary
The change in Ore Reserve ounces from the prior period to 30 June 2026 reflects three material changes, as shown in NMG’s waterfall chart (Table 3 in the announcement):
- Opening reserve: 135,600oz
- Crown Prince depletion: minus 56,000oz, reflecting the first full year of open pit mining since July 2025
- MRE update changes: minus 9,900oz, reflecting updated geological modelling
- Maiden Cloudkicker reserve addition: plus 21,000oz
- Stockpile adjustment: plus 4,800oz
- Unspecified reduction: minus 4,700oz
- Closing reserve: 90,800oz
The net result is a closing reserve that is supported by actual operating performance at Crown Prince and a detailed feasibility study for Cloudkicker, with all Inferred Mineral Resources excluded from the Ore Reserve estimation and treated as waste in financial modelling.
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