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Australia

Dargues Mine

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Summary

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusClosing / Closed
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Longhole stoping
Backfill type ... Lock
Production Start... Lock
SnapshotDargues safely completed mining of the remaining stope production ore on 30 July 2024, with final ore processed (including all surface stockpiles) during the September FY25 quarter. The site has now transitioned into rehabilitation and closure.

During FY26, the Dargues primary grinding mill will be disassembled and reinstalled as the tertiary ball mill at the Peak processing plant.

In February 2025, Aurelia Metals signed a Licence Agreement with the Upper Shoalhaven Landcare Council (Landcare). Under the Agreement, which runs through to December 2027, Landcare has been granted access to the geology shed and surrounding outdoor areas at Dargues.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Aurelia Metals Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Big Island Mining Pty Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Big Island Mining Pty Ltd is a 100% owned subsidiary of Aurelia Metals Limited and is the holder of ML1675 Dargues Reef, which covers the Dargues Gold Mine area.

Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Greisen hosted

Summary:

The Braidwood Granodiorite and adjacent Long Flat Volcanics host the primary gold mineralisation in the Dargues Reef–Majors Creek area.

Three major mineralisation styles are present: auriferous, pyrite-rich greisenous zones such as those at Dargues Reef, Exeter Farm and Scotsmans Gully; gold–base metal-rich veins/lodes, including those adjacent to the Majors Creek village; and those deposits which have both greisen- and vein-type mineralisation, including those in the Snobs mine area, which takes in Snobs Reef (Snobs Lode–Stewart & Mertons–United Miners zone) and The Creek prospect.

Mineralisation at Dargues occurs as a number of discrete, fracture-controlled sulphide lodes situated within intense zones of phyllic alteration (silica-chlorite and lesser epidote and sericite). The lodes are steeply dipping (80 - 90 degrees) and have a variable strike from E-W to ENE-WSW. The main zones of mineralisation (commonly referred to as the Big Blow and Main Lode) occur on the northern side of a parallel diorite dyke with some minor mineralisation sporadically developed on the southern margin. The mineralisation and dyke are synonymous with the dominant fault orientations of the region, an E-W striking vertical set and a ENE-WSW set, dipping steeply to the SSE.

The sulphide lodes are generally 0.5 m to 10 m wide (true width) and up to 200 m long and display a distinctive zonal alteration assemblage. The lodes are generally comprised of potassium felspar-albitepyrite+/-chlorite-sericite-silica-carbonate with the alteration assemblage extending up to 60 m from the lodes. The main sulphide mineral is pyrite, although chalcopyrite, sphalerite and other sulphides are also present. Gold values are directly linked to pyrite content (ranging from 5% to 30%). The gold grains occur as small inclusions of native gold in pyrite or along the pyrite grain boundaries. Rare occurrences of visible gold in association with minor quartz veining have been observed at depth with grades of up to 538g/t over a 0.85m width.

The Dargues Reef Au deposit extends for approximately 400m in an E-W direction. The mineralisation extends from surface to a maximum vertical depth of 590m below the surface. True width of the mineralisation varies from 2m up to approximately 12m.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

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AV - Autonomous

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Water usage

Parameter20232022202120202019
Fresh water 441.73 ML471 ML
Groundwater 40.9 ML49 ML40.9 ML64.8 ML30.4 ML
Precipitation water 74.8 ML

Commodity Production

2021 production has been reported for full 2021 year period includes pre acquisition (17 December 2020).
CommodityProductUnits20252024202320222021
Gold Concentrate kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Gold Payable metal koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Gold Metal in concentrate koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Operational metrics

Metrics20252024202320222021
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
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Production Costs

CommodityUnits20252024202320222021
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Mine Financials

Units20252024202320222021
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Revenue M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
EBITDA M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Jun 30, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 14, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 14, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Nov 14, 2025

Workforce

EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required ...... Subscription required 2025
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Aerial view:

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