Name of the Project
Kal East gold project.

Location
About 50 km east of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

Project Owner/s
Black Cat Syndicate.

Project Description
An update to the 2022 prefeasibility study (PFS) has again demonstrated strong financial returns from the base case Kal East production target, with initial production targeted at 302 000 oz at 1.9 g/t gold.

Eighty per cent of the production target is high-confidence ore reserves of 243 000 oz at 2 g/t gold.

The updated PFS – as in the 2022 PFS – still estimates the recovery of 278 000 oz.

The updated PFS forecasts average gold production of 56 000 oz/y at a processing rate of 800 000 t/y over an initial life-of-mine of 5.5 years.

A turnkey funding, development and processing arrangement to mine and mill the Myhree and Boundary openpit deposits, which form part of the Kal East project, is under way. 

Separately and in the future, Black Cat plans to build a central processing facility near the Majestic deposit, about 50 km east of Kalgoorlie. The 800 000 t/y processing facility will be a traditional carbon-in-leach, gold-processing facility, which is ideally suited to Black Cat’s Resources and third-party free milling ores located around Kalgoorlie.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an internal rate of return of 44%.

Capital Expenditure
Preproduction capital expenditure has increased from A$87.9-million, estimated in June 2022, to A$99-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Black Cat announced a significant milestone on July 29, with first ore mined at the Myhree/Boundary openpit. 

The stockpiled ore from Myhree will be hauled to the Paddington processing plant in September. It is fitting that first ore was mined from Myhree, as it was the company’s inaugural discovery in 2019, Black Cat MD Gareth Solly has said.

In May, Black Cat announced a turnkey, development and processing package with regard to the Myhree/Boundary openpits, which would result in ore being processed at the Paddington plant.

Mineral Mining Services (MMS) is providing all funding, staff and equipment for the turnkey package.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
MMS (funding, staff and equipment).

Contact Details for Project Information
Black Cat Syndicate, tel +61 458 007 713 or email admin@bc8.com.au.