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Australia

Great Cobar Project

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Summary

Mine TypeUnderground
Study CompletedFeasibility
StageConstruction
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Zinc
  • Lead
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Longhole stoping
  • Longitudinal retreat
  • Transverse stoping
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SnapshotThe Great Cobar Project comprises establishment of a new mining area within the Peak mine which would deliver ore to the Peak processing plant.

On 16 April 2025, the Aurelia Board of Directors approved the development of the Great Cobar Project within the New Cobar Mine at the Peak Operation. The Project, which will be funded internally, is outlined in the 2025 Great Cobar Project Feasibility Study.

The Project will leverage existing infrastructure at the Peak Operations, with the development of a twin decline from Jubilee to Great Cobar. Development commenced to plan on 1 July 2025.

A parallel lead/zinc lens located immediately west of the main copper mineralisation. This lens has not been included in the economic evaluation shown in this study and is considered future opportunity.
Related AssetPeak Mine

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Aurelia Metals Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Peak Gold Mines Pty Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
The Great Cobar Project is located on tenements held by Peak Gold Mines Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aurelia Metals Limited.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork

Summary:

The Great Cobar deposit is located in the northern part of the Cobar Gold Field on the eastern margin of the Cobar basin. The deposit is localised within the sub-vertical dipping Great Cobar Fault which is located wholly within siltstones and shales of the Great Cobar Slate. The deposit has a planar-shaped geometry dipping sub parallel to the regional cleavage and plunging steeply north parallel to a strong stretching lineation. The deposit is approximately 200m long, 20-30m wide and extends over a vertical distance of at least 1,200m.

The deposits fall under the group of epigenetic “Cobar Style” mineralisation and are controlled structurally by major fault zones (Rookery Fault System) and subsequent spurs and splays. The faults are within the Devonian-Nurri Group of sedimentary units displaying lower green schist facies alteration. The economic minerals are contained within quartz stockworks and breccias. The breccia matrix are combinations of quartz, sediment, rhyolite and sulphide. The deposits are often polymetallic with copper, gold, zinc, lead and silver occurring in parallel lenses to the fault zones within the PGM leases.

The copper mineralisation is associated with a zone of intense quartz veining, magnetite brecciation and chlorite-stilpnomelane alteration. Copper is contained within chalcopyrite and shows a close association with pyrrhotite.

Mineralisation remains open at depth and along strike.
Several other significant opportunities have been identified to expand the Great Cobar deposit:
• Further up and down dip extensions and delineation of the A Zone.
• Discovery of economic copper mineralisation associated with the down dip projection of the historically mined Central lode in the B and C Zones.

A parallel lead/zinc lens located immediately west of the main copper mineralisation appears to pinch out at a vertical extent of 700m below surface. The lens is characterised by massive to vein sphalerite/galena/pyrrhotite/pyrite sulphide mineralisation associated with “black” magnesium chlorite alteration. This lens has not been included in the economic evaluation shown in the 2025 study and is considered future opportunity.

There also remains potential for additional lead zinc mineralisation on the western margin to the historical workings. These opportunities will be further tested when underground development reaches appropriate underground drilling platforms. These activities are more efficiently conducted underground as it improves the cost efficiency of the drilling programs.

Further, the region south of Great Cobar through to the Gladstone deposit remains under-explored. The twin decline development provides good drill platforms to further explore this area.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Required Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Copper Concentrate kt 320 *
Copper Metal in concentrate M lbs 32 *169 *
Gold Metal in conc./ doré koz 18 *84 *
Silver Metal in conc./ doré oz 504,570 *
* According to 2025 study.

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing rate  ....  Subscribe
Waste tonnes, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes processed, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2025 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
Assumed price Copper USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Silver USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2025 study / presentation.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Initial CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Sustaining CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 8% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

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Workforce

Aerial view:

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