Native Mineral Resources Delivers 5,590oz Gold from Blackjack Operations
Key Takeaways
- The 15 September smelt confirmed 279.5oz of gold and 186.2oz of silver from doré bars BJM095 and BJM096, which carried a combined doré weight of 496.8oz at an average gold assay of 56.26%.
- Cumulative confirmed gold outturn at Blackjack now stands at 5,590.5oz, with the 22 September smelt result — a further 283.3oz gross doré weight across three bars — not yet included in that total.
- The 22 September smelt produced three doré bars (BJM097, BJM098, BJM099) from both gravity and elution circuits, with refinery assay and outturn figures pending.
- Active mining is progressing simultaneously across three areas: Podosky (advancing to the 257.5 RL bench), Mid Pit (second of three planned blasts on the 310 RL bench scheduled this week), and North Pit (RC drilling programme more than 2,000m complete, targeting October completion).
- North Pit RC drilling results, due in October, will feed into geological modelling and mine planning — a near-term catalyst that could reshape the forward production picture at Blackjack.
Blackjack delivers another week of consistent gold production
Native Mineral Resources Holdings Limited (ASX: NMR) has confirmed 279.5oz of gold and 186.2oz of silver from its 15 September 2026 smelt at the Blackjack Gold Operations near Charters Towers, Queensland. A further three doré bars were produced in the 22 September smelt, with a combined gross weight of 283.3oz, and refinery assay and outturn remain pending. Cumulative confirmed gold outturn now stands at 5,590.5oz — with the 22 September result not yet included in that total.
Blackjack’s September cadence builds on what had already been NMR’s strongest processing month, a performance milestone reached in August 2026 as higher-grade feed began moving through the plant.
Managing Director and CEO Blake Cannavo
“Blackjack continues to maintain its weekly production and smelting cycle, with a further 283.3oz of doré produced this week and a confirmed gold outturn of 279.5oz from the previous smelt…”
The 15 September smelt covered doré bars BJM095 and BJM096, which carried an official combined doré weight of 496.8oz and an average gold assay of 56.26%. Blackjack continues its established weekly smelting cycle, with each smelt generating a confirmed outturn from the prior week’s bars while new bars enter the refinery queue.
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September smelt results at a glance
The 22 September smelt produced three doré bars across two processing circuits. Refinery assay and outturn figures for all three bars are pending and will be reported upon receipt.
| Gold Doré Bar | Circuit | Gross Doré Weight (oz) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BJM097 | Gravity | 44.9oz | Pending |
| BJM098 | Elution | 179.5oz | Pending |
| BJM099 | Elution | 58.9oz | Pending |
| Total | — | 283.3oz | Pending |
The gravity circuit recovers coarse gold particles early in the processing flow using density separation. The elution circuit captures fine gold that has been adsorbed onto activated carbon, then strips it off using a heated chemical solution. Both streams feed into the same smelting process, producing the finished doré bars that are sent to the refinery for final assay.
How gold doré production works — and why weekly smelting matters
A doré bar is an unrefined alloy of gold and silver produced on-site at the processing plant. It is not pure gold. The exact gold and silver content is determined only after the bar reaches an external refinery, where an official assay is conducted. That final assay generates the “outturn” figures — the confirmed ounces of each metal recovered.
This creates a natural lag in reporting. At any given time, Blackjack typically has one smelt with a confirmed outturn and another with assay results still pending. The gross doré weight reported at smelt time is a preliminary figure; the gold and silver ounces are only locked in once the refinery confirms them.
For investors, the practical implication is straightforward. Consistent weekly smelting translates to a predictable, recurring production cadence. You can track Blackjack’s output smelt by smelt, building a running picture of gold delivery over time rather than waiting for a single quarterly figure.
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Mining and drilling advancing across three areas
Active work is progressing across three separate areas at Blackjack, each at a different stage of the mining cycle:
- Podosky — Mining of the 267.5 RL bench completed this week; activities have now commenced on the 257.5 RL bench, comprising four flitches, with two blasts scheduled for next week as mining advances to lower elevations.
- Mid Pit — The second of three planned blasts on the 310 RL bench is scheduled for Friday this week; mining is set to recommence following the blast, with the blasting programme intended to progressively open additional mining areas and support continued ore supply to the processing plant.
- North Pit — Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling is ongoing, with more than 2,000m completed since the programme commenced in late August 2026; drilling is planned for completion during October 2026, with results to be incorporated into geological modelling and subsequent mine engineering and planning.
The multi-front activity across Podosky, Mid Pit, and North Pit supports continuity of ore feed to the Blackjack processing plant, which in turn underpins the weekly smelting cycle. The completion of the North Pit RC drilling programme in October is a near-term milestone to watch — results will feed into geological modelling and mine planning, with an update expected to follow.
Management’s stated focus remains on maintaining consistent gold production while progressively advancing additional mining areas to support the ongoing Blackjack operation.
The multi-front mining activity across Podosky, Mid Pit, and North Pit reflects a deliberate strategy to scale ore supply, a direction supported by strategic investment in Queensland gold capacity that NMR outlined earlier in 2026.
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