Westgold to Expand Cue Processing Hub to 1.7Mtpa

5 August 2026 | Western Australia - Westgold Resources has committed to a capital-light expansion of its Cue processing hub, lifting throughput from the current 1.4Mtpa run rate to 1.7Mtpa in FY28.

The Cue Expansion Plan is designed to support increasing underground mine output from Westgold’s Big Bell and Great Fingall mines near Cue, while also creating more flexibility for additional ore sources in the region.

Westgold said the expansion will be delivered by debottlenecking the existing processing circuit rather than building a new plant. The main upgrade involves increasing mill motor power from 2.9MW to 4.2MW through a replacement liquid-cooled motor and variable speed drive, supported by system and pumping upgrades.

The plant upgrade is expected to lift milling circuit throughput from around 170 tonnes per hour to 200 tonnes per hour, with commissioning planned in late FY27.

Why it matters: The expansion is expected to add approximately 15,000 ounces per year to Cue gold production from FY28 onwards, while leveraging existing infrastructure.

Key scoping study outputs include indicative capital of $22 million, a payback period of around 10 months, life-of-mine gold production of 1.1Moz to 1.3Moz, and an AISC range of $2,916 to $3,564 per ounce.

Westgold said the Cue NPV improves by around $400 million at a gold price of $5,500 per ounce.

Managing Director and CEO Wayne Bramwell said Westgold’s underground mine outputs are growing across its Murchison operations, while open pit mining is also now underway at Cue and Meekatharra. He said the expansion reflects a shift toward processing hub optimisation, with lower operating costs and higher cashflow the objective.

Westgold is also drilling brownfields opportunities at Big Bell South and Cuddingwarra, both located near the Cue hub. If successful, these targets could provide additional ore options from FY28.

For Western Australia’s gold sector, Westgold’s Cue expansion highlights the value of brownfields growth, where existing mines, mills and infrastructure can be used to increase production with relatively modest capital investment.

Source: Westgold Resources ASX announcement, “Cue Hub Expansion to 1.7Mtpa in FY28”, 5 August 2026.