Maritana Minerals (ASX:MRT) has extended early works at its Black Swan Processing Hub in Western Australia after receiving the final statutory approval required for construction.
The company received the native vegetation clearing permit from the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS) on 19 September.
It has completed all approvals needed for the 2.5-million-tonne-per-annum processing facility, which is located 50km northeast of Kalgoorlie.
Maritana has extended its early works agreement with GR Engineering Services (ASX:GNG) to 31 October 2027 at an additional cost of $6.5 million.
The agreement was announced on 20 July 2026 with an initial commitment of $25 million, bringing total committed expenditure to $31.5 million.
The extension maintains continuity of detailed engineering, procurement, demolition, bulk earthworks, and site delivery while the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract is finalised.
Managing Director and CEO Grant Haywood says the permit represents a “significant milestone” for the company ahead of first gold production targeted for H2 2027.
“The native vegetation clearing permit was the last statutory approval required for the full processing plant,” Haywood notes.
“Extending the early works agreement with GR Engineering to 31 October 2027 keeps the engineering, long-lead procurement, on-site works, and construction activities running while the EPC contract is being finalised.”
The company previously received approval for its mining development and closure proposal on 27 July and works approval for the carbon-in-leach circuit on 5 August.
Long-lead procurement is advancing under the extended early works program, including elution columns, carbon-in-leach bolted tanks, intertank screens, and platework packages.
Maritana targets a mining restart at its Boorara Project for mid-2027, with a 60,000m resource conversion drilling campaign continuing across its Kalgoorlie project area.
Maritana Minerals is an Australian gold producer advancing a portfolio of open pit and underground deposits across the Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie goldfields.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Maritana Minerals
