Pacgold has announced the second pour of gold doré at the White Dam Gold Project in the Olary Province of South Australia.

The gold doré bar, weighing 97oz, was produced using material leached from the first aerated zones on the pad’s eastern and western edges.

Re-crushing activities are continuing at White Dam, with 120,000t of material already processed and under irrigation. Another 50,000t are due to be added to irrigation by the end of the month.

High-grade leachate has been identified at the base of the re-crush material. Pacgold noted that freshly leached gold has not yet returned to the pad base but is expected to do so in the coming weeks.

Drilling at White Dam North has commenced, with 700m completed to date and the remainder of the scheduled programme due to finish by mid-July.

Pacgold managing director Matthew Boyes said: “Delivering our second gold pour from White Dam brings in additional cash flow as production ramps up, confirmation that the re-crushed material is now leaching good grades at the upper lift is also excellent news and I look forward to this leachate reaching the plant to be recovered in future pours.”

A 3,000m reverse circulation drilling programme at the Vertigo prospect has been completed, aimed at expanding resources and supporting plans to accelerate the resumption of mining operations.

The company has engaged Entech to carry out an updated mineral resource estimate for Vertigo.

Entech is also working on pit optimisations, new mine designs and cash flow calculations.

Pacgold is considering the possibility of an earlier-than-planned restart of the Vertigo pit, potentially bringing operations forward to late 2026 instead of the original target of mid-2027.

This earlier timeline focuses on accessing fresh oxide ore in the northern and eastern parts of the Vertigo pit.

Heap leach pad expansion plans are also under way, with design work nearing completion and the final design expected by the end of July.

Construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to receiving necessary approvals.

The current heap leach pad has the capacity for an additional 800,000t of ore without further permitting or capital expenditure.

Last month, Pacgold reported the first gold pour and production of its maiden gold doré bar from the White Dam Gold project.