08:11 AM EDT, 07/29/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Vista Gold ( VGZ ) traded 1.3% higher at last look Tuesday in NYSE American pre-market trading after the company reported the results of a feasibility study for the Mount Todd gold project in Australia.

The latest study envisaged an operation with a capacity of 15,000 tonnes per day (tpd), compared to 50,000 tpd outlined in a 2024 feasibility study.

The project fetched an after-tax net present value of US$1.1 billion at a 5% discount rate, with a 27.8% internal rate of return based on a gold price of US$2,500 per ounce.

Mount Todd is expected to produce 146,000 ounces per year of gold over the 30-year life of mine. Initial capital was estimated at US$425 million, a 59% reduction from the 2024 study.

"This study marks a significant shift in the strategy for Mount Todd, demonstrating the potential for near-term development of a smaller initial project by prioritizing higher grade ore to the processing plant, significantly lowering initial capital costs, and incorporating methods to reduce development and operational risks," said Frederick Earnest, Vista Gold's ( VGZ ) president and CEO.