Pacgold has achieved first gold production at the White Dam Gold Project, situated 80km east of Broken Hill in Olary Province, South Australia.
Marking its transition from a gold explorer to producer, the company began production following the recommissioning of its processing plant.
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Approximately 2kg of calcined gold was retrieved within 14 days following the plant’s recommissioning.
Pacgold intends to conduct three more strip cycles at the plant before the production and shipment of its first doré product by the end of the month.
Efficient plant operations have allowed for the recovery of gold from existing inventories, with enhanced flow rates due to new irrigation on the eastern pad margin.
The addition of carbon to the carbon-in-column (CIC) tanks will optimise gold recovery in the coming weeks.
Another milestone includes the irrigation of recrushed ore, with the screening and crushing circuit now delivering a daily output of roughly 1,500t.
Four of the five main CIC tanks have been upgraded and are now functioning at more than 95% efficiency, with increased flow rates anticipated as more recrushed material is processed.
The installation of new power generation units and repairs on the strip circuit and electrowinning cells have improved plant availability.
Engineers from Newfields in Nevada, US, have visited the site to plan an extension of the pad, aiming to add an additional four million tonnes of ore leaching capacity.
The project design is due to be completed by July 2026.
Pacgold plans to increase recrushing and leaching activities to reach a target of 90,000t per month.
Relining of the Intermediate and Barren Liquor storage ponds will occur once full irrigation is achieved, as their current state does not impact ongoing production.
Vertigo deposit drilling is complete, with assay results due in 2–3 weeks, leading to updated resource and mine design for full production expansion in 2027.
Drilling at White Dam North is on hold pending approval and diesel supply certainty.
Permit applications for several exploration sites including Mary Mine and White Dam North are in progress, yielding multiple drill-ready targets.
Pacgold managing director Matthew Boyes said: “The entire team is extremely proud to have achieved our first gold production from the White Dam heap leach pad successfully making the transition from explorer to producer.
“This initial production represents only a small portion of the gold we have leached to date, with the plant now running for a limited time post the completion of major refurbishment of the CIC columns and the gold room.
“We are now focused on maximising recovery of the gold already leached in the system and currently recirculating, as we continue to absorb and redistribute the significant water influx from recent heavy rains.”
In November 2025, Pacgold begun its maiden drilling programme at the St George gold-antimony project in north-east Queensland, Australia.
