06:53 AM EDT, 08/16/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Westgold Resources ( WGXRF ) on Friday presented the maiden ore reserve for its South Junction Mine, part of the broader Bluebird-South Junction mining complex in Western Australia.

The mining complex is becoming the primary ore source for the Bluebird processing hub at Meekatharra.

Bluebird-South Junction's ore reserve increased to 3.0 million tonnes at 2.8 grams per tonne (g/t) gold for 277,000 ounces, a 233% increase from the 2023 ore reserve post depletion.

The contribution from the maiden South Junction ore reserve was 2.6 million tonnes at 2.7 g/t gold for 225,000 ounces.

The updated Bluebird-South Junction mineral resource exceeds an interim mineral resource announced in March by a further 130,000 ounces post depletion of 14,000 ounces. Indicated resources also increased by 61%.

The ore reserve was underwritten by an updated mineral resource estimate of 11 million tonnes at 2.8 g/t gold for 960,000 ounces, featuring a measured and indicated component of 4.7 million tonnes at 3.1 g/t gold for 465,000 ounces.

Production from the South Junction mine is scheduled to commence in August. A production rate of 1.2 million tonnes per year from Bluebird-South Junction is targeted starting in the third quarter of 2025.