Rumble Resources Secures Water Licence to Advance Western Queen Gold Project
Rumble Resources (ASX:RTR) has announced a substantial upgrade to its Western Queen Gold Project, with resources now standing at 3.72Mt @ 3.1g/t Au for 370,000 ounces. This represents a 53% increase in average grade and a 29% increase in global gold ounces from the previous estimate, positioning the company for near-term production.
The Western Queen Project, which historically produced 215,000 ounces at an impressive 7.6g/t Au, is strategically located within 200km of five operational gold processing plants in Western Australia, creating multiple options for monetisation of the asset.
"We're extremely pleased with this significant resource upgrade at Western Queen, which further strengthens our pathway to production," said Peter Harold, Managing Director and CEO of Rumble Resources. "The substantial grade increase to 3.1g/t Au places Western Queen among the higher-grade undeveloped gold resources in Australia."
In a significant development, Rumble has executed a term sheet with Bain Global Resource and MEGA Resources to advance Western Queen toward production. Key terms include:
The company is targeting gold production in 2026, with current work focused on finalising the open pit schedule and executing definitive agreements.
What is Open Pit Optimisation?
Open pit optimisation is the process of determining the most economically viable design for an open pit mine. It involves creating a mathematical model that accounts for factors such as:
The model generates a series of nested pit shells that maximise the economic value while considering operational constraints. For Rumble's Western Queen project, this optimisation is crucial for determining which portions of the 370,000-ounce resource can be most profitably mined in the near term.
The optimisation process helps mining companies like Rumble determine the optimal depth, width, and sequence of mining, ultimately affecting the project's NPV and payback period.
Adding to Western Queen's potential, Rumble has made a high-grade tungsten discovery with exceptional intercepts including:
This discovery is particularly significant given tungsten's classification as a critical mineral with substantial industrial applications in hard materials, electronics, and defence sectors. The global tungsten market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% through 2025-2029.
Beyond gold, Rumble's flagship Earaheedy Project hosts a globally significant zinc-lead-silver resource:
| Resource Category | Tonnage | Grade | Contained Metal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inferred (2% Zn+Pb cut-off) | 94Mt | 3.1% Zn+Pb, 4.1g/t Ag | 2.2Mt Zinc, 0.7Mt Lead, 12.6Moz Silver |
| Higher-grade component | 41Mt | >3% Zn+Pb | – |
Recent metallurgical testwork has confirmed:
The company is currently conducting an internal scoping study and seeking a development partner to advance this major base metals asset.
Rumble has also acquired 100% of the Thunderstorm Gold Project in the Fraser Range, which features the Gazelle discovery with high-grade intercepts of 16m @ 6.69g/t Au and 6m @ 9.15g/t Au.
At Western Queen, substantial exploration potential remains, with:
With a market capitalisation of only $30 million and enterprise value of $26 million, Rumble Resources appears significantly undervalued relative to its advanced asset portfolio:
With production anticipated in 2026 and multiple exploration catalysts ahead, Rumble Resources gold project offers investors exposure to near-term cash flow and substantial resource growth potential across a diversified commodity portfolio in Western Australia's premier mining jurisdiction.
Discover why Rumble Resources' portfolio of advanced gold and multi-commodity projects presents a compelling investment opportunity in today's market. With near-term production at Western Queen, a globally significant zinc resource at Earaheedy, and new high-grade discoveries, Rumble is positioning for substantial growth. For more information about their pathway to production and development strategy, visit Rumble Resources' website to explore their full project portfolio and latest investor presentations.