New Frontier Minerals Ltd. (NFM) has taken a significant step forward in the development of its flagship NWQ Copper Project by completing a strategic site visit to Austral Resources’ Mt Kelly Copper Processing Plant in Queensland. This visit marks a key milestone in the company’s plan to transition into copper production.
Located in the heart of the prolific Mt Isa Copper Belt, the NWQ Copper Project offers NFM a unique opportunity to capitalize on established regional infrastructure and expertise. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Austral Resources allows NFM to process ore from the NWQ Project—specifically the Big One Deposit—at the Mt Kelly facility, significantly accelerating its timeline to copper production.
As part of this initiative, NFM’s Non-Executive Director and geologist, Joel Logan, conducted an inspection of the Mt Kelly plant to assess its capabilities and suitability for NFM’s processing requirements. The visit also reaffirmed the potential scale and economic viability of the partnership with Austral, highlighting the project’s strategic position in one of the world’s most productive copper regions.
Project Highlights:
- Strategic Site Visit: Inspection of Austral Resources’ Mt Kelly Copper Processing Plant to evaluate production readiness and reinforce operational collaboration.
- Bulk Sample Collection: Copper-bearing material was gathered from historical stockpiles at the Big One Deposit for metallurgical testing and processing trials at Mt Kelly.
- Fast-Track to Production: The MoU with Austral enables NFM to process copper ore through Mt Kelly’s established facilities, expediting its production timeline.
- World-Class Location: Situated in Australia’s premier copper province, the NWQ Copper Project benefits from extensive infrastructure and over 20 high-potential, under-explored targets.
- Next Steps: NFM will proceed with mining lease applications and regulatory approvals for the Big One Deposit, while initiating metallurgical testing of existing copper oxide stockpiles to support near-term production goals.
Executive Commentary
Ged Hall, Chairman of NFM, stated:
“Our successful visit to Austral Resources’ Mt Kelly facility and the formalisation of this strategic alliance represent a major milestone in our development roadmap. By leveraging this world-class infrastructure and a strong local partnership, we are positioning NFM for a rapid and efficient transition to production. We believe the NWQ Copper Project has the potential to become a standout copper asset in one of the world’s most prolific mineral belts.”