Brightstar Resources (ASX:BTR) has begun underground drilling at the group’s Fish Mine within the Laverton Gold Project in Western Australia, targeting stage two mine life extension area and resource growth.
The two-staged drilling program will target converting the inferred resource beneath the existing mine plan into the measured or indicated category to enable ore reserve delineation to support inclusion in future mine plan extensions.
Brightstar, which has a market capitalisation of $234.6 million, expects to deliver a resource update during the second half of 2025.
Both phases will comprise 4,300m of drilling. Once phase one is completed, the underground rig will mobilise to the Second Fortune Mine for an underground drilling program to allow time to process and interpret phase one results.
Managing Director Alex Rovira says this program is central to the company’s strategy to develop low capex mines and grow the mine life once in operation.
“Leveraging existing infrastructure and sunk costs, the objective is to add high-grade ounces to the mine plan, maximising investment,” Rovira says.
“Fish mine ramp up has proceeded ahead of schedule and, as Brightstar’s second active underground operation in Laverton, forms a key gold production centre for our Laverton Hub.”
Meanwhile, a surface exploration program has been completed at Fish, comprising eight holes for 2,620m of drilling. The program tested two key areas beneath the planned Fish underground development and the current resource area.
Assay results from the surface program are expected in the coming weeks.
The Laverton Gold Project hosts 848,000 ounces of gold resources, with the current operations comprising the Second Fortune and Fish mines.
Brightstar Resources is a gold-focused mining company that aims to build a growing Western Australian producer.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Brightstar Resources
