Brightstar Resources (ASX:BTR) has received approval for a mining proposal and closure plan for the Lord Byron open-pit project within the Laverton Hub in Western Australia.
The project is mine-ready and on track for development and production in the second half of 2026.
Managing Director Alex Rovira says the Lord Byron open pit is located less than 10km from the operational Fish underground mine, with surface infrastructure items already in place.
“Recent exploration efforts at Lord Byron point to material upside to the current mineral resource and potential for additions to the current mine plan,” Rovira says.
“Drillhole LBRC25001 returned a spectacular result of 32m @ 7.16 grams per tonne gold which was directly below the bottom of the proposed Lord Byron south open pit.”
Brightstar, which has a market capitalisation of $275.14 million, says development activities continue to enable the planned mill construction and mining operations in 2026.
Ongoing work relating to the debt financing process, detailed engineering on the processing plant and final permitting of the Laverton mill are underway.
Brightstar is continuing drilling with reverse circulation and diamond drilling underway at the Sandstone Gold Project, as part of the 100,000m exploration program. The program is expected to inform the Sandstone Prefeasibility Study.
At the group’s Fish Mine, underground drilling is continuing which is targeting growth to the current resource at depth below the current mine plan to provide mine life extensions.
The results from the recent near-mine surface exploration programs at Second Fortune and Fish mines will be reported as results are received and processed.
Brightstar Resources is a gold developer based in Perth, Western Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Brightstar Resources
