Aureka has secured a prospecting licence for its Comstock Gold & Silver Project, located roughly 2km north-northwest of St Arnaud in Victoria, Australia.
The licence, covering about 4.5ha within a previously disturbed mine site, allows for small-scale mining activities at the Walkers Zone and the main Comstock Shear in the southern part of the site.
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The decision was made by Resources Victoria and was delivered within four months following the regulator’s acceptance of the application in July 2026.
Designated as PL008915, the licence was granted to North Central Gold Exploration, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aureka.
It is valid for seven years, with no option for extension.
Under Victorian regulations, the prospecting licence supports limited-life, smaller scale operations and may be replaced by a full mining licence if further geological work indicates greater potential.
Aureka has stated that ore from the Comstock project is planned to be processed offsite at the company’s Wedderburn Gold Processing Mill, approximately 45km from the mine site.
The Wedderburn facility is reported to have ample spare capacity to handle ore sourced from both Comstock and the Fiddlers Creek operation.
Before any mining work can begin at Comstock, Aureka must obtain consent from the Crown Land Minister, via Parks Victoria, since the area is situated within Crown Land in the St Arnaud Regional Park.
The licence is also subject to conditions set out in the Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation) Land Use Activity Agreement, which includes requirements for consultation and notification.
Aureka will now focus on further resource definition, mine design and consultation with stakeholders, and develop operating procedures to satisfy all land use conditions.
Metallurgical testing and additional exploration work are also planned as part of the next phase.
The area has not seen active mining since 1995.
Aureka chief operating officer Zane Smith said: “We wish to thank Resources Victoria, Parks Victoria, Djaara and the local community for their cooperation in getting Comstock to this important point.
“With the licence granted, our focus turns to resource definition, metallurgical studies, site readiness, and the consent and engagement requirements that apply before any work starts.”
