Catalyst Metals (ASX:CYL) reports its Trident underground reserve has increased 32% to 524,000 ounces at 4.20 grams per tonne gold (Au).
The company says the updated reserve supports an anticipated 10-year mine life at a steady-state annual production rate of 60,000– 80,000 ounces. The reserve follows an updated resource released in June 2026 of 6.2 million tonnes (Mt) @ 5.40g/t Au for 1.1 million ounces (Moz).
According to Catalyst, resource growth over the past 12 months at Trident came largely from new inferred resources, as drilling sought to test extensions of the existing deposit.
Trident currently holds 448,000 ounces of inferred resources. Catalyst notes that historically, Trident’s inferred resources have had a 75% conversion rate into the indicated category.
The company expects further infill drilling to increase reserves and extend mine life.
Development of the Trident underground mine is currently underway with 250m of development completed, with first ore expected in 2027.
Currently the second-largest deposit on the Plutonic Belt, Trident is expected to form a second, higher-grade base load ore source to the central Plutonic processing plant.
This is part of Catalyst’s target of defining a 2Moz reserve across the Plutonic Belt in order to increase annual gold production from 100,000 ounces to 200,000 ounces.
The Trident underground will be the fourth mine developed on the Plutonic Belt, following Plutonic East, Trident open pit, and K2. The deposit is located 30km northeast of the processing plant.
Catalyst completed mining of a small open pit at Trident in May 2026. Ore from the open pit has been stockpiled and will be progressively transported and processed at the Plutonic processing plant over the remainder of 2026.
Meanwhile, the company reports grade control drilling of the first 15 months of production has been completed, with increased drilling density at Trident resulting in improved grade.
Catalyst Metals is a gold miner and explorer headquartered in Perth, Western Australia.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Catalyst Metals
