Thanks to an incredible effort by our team and contractors, we’re excited to share that the construction of our paste plant at Kathleen Valley is complete – on schedule and on budget.

The paste plant mixes dried tailings with water and cement to create a paste which will be pumped underground to fill stopes after the ore has been mined. This is important for ensuring both the stability and safety of the mine, as well as maximising the ore body. Using tailings to create the paste helps us to reduce our waste and the size of our tailings dam, minimising our environmental impact.

Construction of the paste plant began in December 2023 and commissioning commenced in August 2024. The plant at Kathleen Valley is the largest in Australia, capable of producing up to 320 cubic meters of paste per hour, using two processing lines. Its large capacity means we’re prepared for future growth, preserving our optionality for an expanded mine plan and production rate when market conditions improve.

The plant has been designed with a strong focus on sustainability and responsible water management. It hosts an internal water recovery system and uses chillers instead of evaporative cooling as part of this strategy.

With the paste plant project delivered on schedule, ahead of when the stopes need to be backfilled in our underground development, we’re prepared and ready to support the next stage of our operation.