Rox Resources Hits Every Build Milestone as Youanmi Eyes Mid-2027 First Gold
Key Takeaways
- All construction and mining activities at Rox Resources' 100%-owned Youanmi Gold Mine remain on schedule for first gold pour in mid-CY2027, with the MD confirming works have accelerated in recent weeks.
- Mining in August alone delivered 577m of advance across three areas, exceeding the DFS mine plan, with production stoping anticipated to commence in October 2026 following final assay receipt.
- Critical long lead items — including primary, secondary, and tertiary crushers — are all in transit, with the first Albion tank shipment departed late August and expected in Perth in late September.
- The 351-room accommodation camp has reached practical completion, with the wastewater treatment facility commissioned at end of August and the dry mess facility now operational.
- The project carries a 2.2Moz global mineral resource at 5.6g/t and a long-term production aspiration of 150,000 ounces per annum, backed by $350m in secured debt financing and a completed $218m equity raise.
Youanmi Gold Mine construction and mining on schedule for mid-CY2027 first gold
Rox Resources (ASX: RXL) has confirmed that all construction and mining activities at its 100%-owned Youanmi Gold Mine in Western Australia remain on schedule, targeting first gold pour in mid-CY2027. The company is developing a project hosting a global mineral resource of 2.2Moz at 12.1Mt at 5.6g/t, with a long-term aspiration of 150,000 ounces per annum.
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Processing plant construction advances across all fronts
Construction of the 1.0Mtpa Youanmi Processing Plant by EPC provider Interquip has made significant progress, with bulk earthworks complete across all sites, infrastructure foundations poured, and structural works underway. Concrete milestones achieved include:
- Screen plant concreting complete
- Crusher foundation complete, with primary crusher walls now under construction
- Fine ore bin tunnel pour complete
- Ball mill foundation poured
- ISAMill foundation poured
- CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) pad complete, with tank construction advancing
Long lead items — the large, specialist pieces of equipment with extended delivery windows — are now in transit or on-site, signalling the construction critical path is intact:
- First shipment of Albion tanks departed late August, expected in Perth in late September
- Crushers (primary, secondary, and tertiary) all in transit
- Ball mill for limestone circuit in Perth
- Rock breaker in Perth
Remaining long lead items are under construction and remain on schedule for shipping and delivery to site.
Tailings storage facility and camp: both taking shape
The tailings storage facility is progressing, with clearing complete, the cut-off drain largely complete, and test pads finished ahead of construction of the outer dam wall. This supporting infrastructure is a prerequisite for the plant to operate once commissioned.
The 351-room accommodation camp has reached practical completion. The wastewater treatment facility was commissioned at the end of August, and the new dry mess facility is operational, providing kitchen and dining facilities for the planned permanent and construction workforce. September works include refurbishing the existing dry mess into a wet mess facility and installing sports court infrastructure.
Mining exceeds DFS targets as ore stockpile builds
Mining performance at Youanmi is running ahead of the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) mine plan. In August alone, 577m of mining was completed, comprising 431m of development advance across three mining areas and 146m of stripping in the historic Youanmi Decline.
At United North, ore drive development is largely complete on the first two levels, extending past the DFS mine plan. The escapeway network has been excavated to 2325mRL via raise bore, servicing the first four planned production levels, with ladderways to be installed in September.
At Youanmi Main, access to the first production levels has commenced from the main decline. The primary pump station installation is nearing completion, which is expected to accelerate dewatering of the historic decline.
Production stoping is anticipated to commence in October, following receipt of final assays and completion of geology grade control model updates. That milestone directly de-risks the ore stockpile build required before processing plant commissioning.
The high-grade underground results confirmed across the United North and Youanmi Main ore bodies gave the grade control team confidence in the geological continuity assumptions that underpin the October stoping schedule.
What is a CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) plant and why it matters for gold investors
A Carbon-in-Leach plant is the processing facility where crushed and ground ore is mixed with a cyanide solution to dissolve the gold. Activated carbon is then added to the slurry to absorb the dissolved gold, which is subsequently stripped from the carbon and refined into gold doré bars ready for sale. It is the standard processing route for high-grade gold projects like Youanmi.
Gold recovery rates at Youanmi have been validated at 94% through the Albion Process testwork, a result that directly supports the revenue assumptions built into the DFS and gives investors confidence that the CIL plant will perform as designed once commissioned.
At a throughput rate of 1.0Mtpa, the Youanmi processing plant is designed to handle one million tonnes of ore per year once operational. The company’s long-term aspiration is to reach 150,000 ounces per annum of gold production.
For investors tracking development-stage gold companies, construction milestones on a CIL plant carry real weight. Foundations, long lead item deliveries, and tank installations are the events where delays most commonly translate into cost overruns and schedule slippage. Each milestone confirmed on schedule reduces the commissioning risk profile of the project.
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Pathway to production: milestones met, next steps in focus
Phill Wilding, Managing Director & CEO, Rox Resources
“Construction works have accelerated in recent weeks as we start to transform the Youanmi Gold Mine into a production and processing hub, ahead of first gold pour next year.”
Phill Wilding, Managing Director & CEO, Rox Resources
“This rapidly advancing on-site activity is setting the stage for the Youanmi Gold Mine to progress towards our aspiration of becoming a 150,000ozpa operation in future years.”
The table below summarises completed milestones and the next steps on Rox’s indicative pathway to production, which the company has confirmed remains on track.
| Milestone | Status | Detail | Target / Completion Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definitive Feasibility Study released | Complete | DFS published confirming project economics | November 2025 |
| $200m Placement + $18m SPP | Complete | Equity funding component finalised | December 2025 |
| $350m Debt Financing secured | Complete | Debt facility secured to fund construction | March 2026 |
| MDCP approval received | Complete | Approval for processing plant, tailings, and associated site infrastructure | March 2026 |
| Final Investment Decision (FID) | Complete | Board approved FID to proceed with development | March 2026 |
| Works Approval received | Complete | Regulatory works approval granted | July 2026 |
| Dewatering at Main Pit completed | Complete | Transitioned to underground dewatering | Completed |
| 351-room accommodation camp | Complete | Practical completion achieved; wastewater treatment commissioned end of August | August 2026 |
| Oxygen Supply contract | In Progress | Preferred supplier selected; early works agreement in place | Ongoing |
| Debt Facility drawdown conditions precedent | In Progress | All conditions precedent to be satisfied | Ongoing |
| Production stoping commencement | Upcoming | Anticipated following receipt of final assays and grade control model updates | October 2026 (anticipated) |
| Ore stockpile build | Ongoing | Continued development from all declines targeting commissioning stockpile | Ongoing |
| First gold pour | Target | Processing plant commissioning and first production | Mid-CY2027 (target) |
Remaining next steps include finalising the Oxygen Supply contract, continuing underground development across all declines, building the ore stockpile, and continuing to define near-mine and regional exploration targets.
With mining already exceeding DFS advance rates, construction milestones ticking over on schedule, and long lead items either on-site or in transit, Rox’s development programme is progressing with the operational discipline that matters most at this stage: keeping the critical path intact ahead of the commissioning window.
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