ECR Minerals Plc (LSE:ECR) has reported progress at the Maddens Flat Group of Mines in North Queensland, Australia, where the company holds a 50% interest, confirming that its gold processing plant has been commissioned and is fully operational.
The company said underground development at the Maddens hard rock mine is continuing towards the principal production ore zones, with processing of production material targeted to begin in November 2026.
ECR also expects to process stockpiled material generated during underground development by the end of October, ahead of the planned transition to production ore.
Preparations are progressing at the nearby Brothers area, where initial alluvial gold operations are expected to commence following the processing of the Maddens stockpiles.
Maddens Underground Development Progresses Towards Production Zones
Underground development at the Maddens hard rock mine is advancing through a planned turn in the decline, which provides access to the mineralised areas targeted for future extraction.
ECR reported favourable ground conditions during the current phase of development, with work continuing towards the main production ore zones.
The company is targeting November 2026 for the commencement of processing material from these zones.
Development activities have also generated material that has been stockpiled for treatment through the recently commissioned processing facility.
The current programme is intended to establish access to production areas while providing material for initial processing operations.
ECR has not disclosed an updated underground development rate or confirmed the expected quantity of production ore to be processed in November.
Maddens Processing Plant Commissioned and Operational
ECR confirmed that the Maddens gold processing plant has completed commissioning and is fully operational.
The company has undertaken optimisation work on the processing circuit, including adjustments to the feed configuration supplying the Knelson concentrator.
A Knelson concentrator is a gravity separation system used to recover gold and other dense minerals from processed material.
The adjustments form part of the company’s preparations for treating stockpiled development material and subsequent production ore.
ECR expects the existing underground development stockpiles to be processed by the end of October 2026.
The completion of this work would allow the processing programme to move towards material extracted from the main production zones, subject to continued progress in underground development.
The company has not provided gold recovery figures, processing throughput rates or production volumes from the newly commissioned plant.
Initial Production Ore Processing Targeted for November
ECR’s operational schedule identifies two stages of material processing at Maddens.
The first involves treating stockpiled material generated during underground development, which is expected to be completed before the end of October.
The second stage involves processing ore from the main underground production zones, currently targeted for November 2026.
The transition will depend on continued development of the underground decline and access to the relevant mineralised areas.
The company has not provided a forecast for initial gold output or confirmed the grade of material expected to enter the processing plant.
Although the processing facility is operational, the start of sustained production from the main ore zones remains a planned milestone.
Brothers Alluvial Gold Operations Under Preparation
ECR is also advancing preparations for alluvial gold operations at the Brothers area, which forms part of the wider Maddens Flat Group of Mines.
Alluvial gold operations involve recovering gold from deposits of sediment and other unconsolidated material rather than extracting ore from underground hard rock workings.
The company plans to begin initial operations at Brothers after the stockpiled development material at Maddens has been processed.
The programme would introduce an additional source of material within the group’s North Queensland operations.
ECR has not specified an exact commencement date for Brothers or provided expected production volumes from the planned alluvial activities.
The work is being progressed alongside the underground development and processing activities at Maddens.
ECR Advances Australian Gold Project Portfolio
The Maddens Flat Group of Mines forms part of ECR Minerals’ broader Australian gold exploration and development portfolio.
The company holds a 50% interest in the North Queensland project and is progressing both hard rock and alluvial activities within the area.
Elsewhere in Australia, ECR has interests in projects including Salt Bush, Tuckanarra, Bailieston, Creswick, Tambo, Raglan and Blue Mountain.
Its portfolio includes underground, shallow open-cut and alluvial gold opportunities at different stages of exploration and development.
ECR also retains contingent payment interests associated with projects previously sold to Fosterville South Exploration and Leviathan Gold, with potential receipts of up to A$2 million subject to the relevant conditions.
The company has reported approximately A$77 million in unutilised tax losses within ECR Australia, which may be available for future use subject to applicable tax rules and eligibility requirements.
About ECR Minerals Plc
ECR Minerals Plc (LSE:ECR) is an Australian-focused gold exploration and development company with interests across Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.
Its project portfolio includes Maddens, Salt Bush, Tuckanarra, Bailieston, Creswick, Tambo, Raglan and Blue Mountain.
The company is progressing exploration, mine development and processing activities across its assets, including the Maddens Flat Group of Mines in North Queensland, where it holds a 50% interest.
ECR’s activities encompass hard rock gold deposits, shallow mining opportunities and alluvial gold projects.
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