Inside Westgold Resource’s Meekatharra Expansion Plan
Wayne Bramwell, CEO of Westgold Resources, says the company will look to increase its lift processing capacity by 1.1 Mtpa before 2029.
The company is implementing an expansion plan at its gold mining operations in Meekatharra.
Westgold is looking to increase its processing capacity from 1.8Mtpa to 2.9Mtpa following results from a Scoping Study that assessed a brownfields expansion at the Meekatharra hub.
Wayne Bramwell, CEO of Westgold Resources, says: “The hub is increasingly moving from being mine-constrained to processing-constrained.
“The Meekatharra Expansion Plan is a capital-efficient brownfields expansion option to address this emerging constraint. It utilises existing infrastructure and long-lead equipment already procured to increase processing capacity from 1.8Mtpa to 2.9Mtpa.”
Details of the Meekatharra Expansion Plan
The study outlines a possible capital-efficient route to process additional emerging ore supply, while lifting future gold production and reducing processing unit costs.
It has been described by the company as a low-capital intensity, brownfields expansion, due to its existing infrastructure.
The increase would take advantage of Westgold’s current ongoing operations in Meekathara, using the long lead equipment that has already been procured.
Westgold’s plan aims to increase installed processing capacity at Meekatharra, adding approximately 47,000 ounces of gold production per annum.
The increase in Mtpa would be around 60% and the company expects for this to be in full operation by the fiscal year 2028.
Expanding the company’s production capacity in Meekatharra will rely on the completion of feasibility-level technical, economic and approvals work, according to the company.
This feasibility-level work to confirm engineering, capital estimates, delivery schedules and ore source assumptions, ahead of potential investment decisions towards the end of the fiscal year 2027.
- Processing Capacity Increase: The Meekatharra Expansion Plan aims to lift processing capacity from 1.8Mtpa to 2.9Mtpa
- Annual Gold Production: The plan is expected to add approximately 47,000 ounces of gold production per annum.
- Murchison Operations: The company currently has three processing hubs and five mines within its Murchison operations.
- Combined Capacity: Westgold's Murchison operations generate a combined processing capacity of 4.1Mtpa.
- Ore Reserve Growth: The ore reserve at the Bluebird-South Junction mine has increased by 107% to 7.2Mtpa.
Westgold’s Murchison operations
The expansion is being supported by growth at Westgold’s Bluebird-South Junction mine, which is a key factor in the company’s Murchison operations.
Westgold has three processing hubs in Murchison and five mines, as it accounts for more than 60% of the company’s gold production.
According to Westgold, its operations in Murchison generate a combined processing capacity of 4.1Mtpa and are targeting more than 300koz in annual production from 2028.
The Meekatharra processing hub sits directly next to the Bluebird-South Junction mine and ore reserve has increased by 107% to 7.2Mtpa at 2.5g/t for 573,000 ounces during the year.
There are three key underground mines in the Murchison portfolio, Big Bell, Fender and Great Fingall.
Westgold Resources uses Epiroc automation technology and equipment to manage the surface at its Big Bell mine.
It utilises existing infrastructure and long-lead equipment already procured to increase processing capacity from 1.8Mtpa to 2.9Mtpa.
Key Partners
Headquarters: Perth, Australia
CEO: Wayne Bramwell
Westgold Resources is an Australian gold producer focused on the exploration, development, and operation of underground and open-pit mining assets across Western Australia.
Controlling major regional hubs in the Murchison and Bryah regions including key operations like Bluebird, Great Fingall, and Big Bell—the company operates dedicated processing plants and underground infrastructure to extract and process gold ore at scale.
By leveraging modernised mining technology, continuous resource expansion and strategic exploration, Westgold delivers unhedged bullion production into the global precious metals market.
- Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
- CEO: Helena Hedblom
Epiroc is a global productivity partner for the mining and infrastructure industries, specialising in heavy equipment, digital technology, and automation systems
The company manufactures rock drilling rigs, underground excavators, and attachments while delivering automated fleet management, battery-electric machinery, and remote operations systems to help industrial operators increase safety, energy efficiency, and operational output.
