Santana Minerals (ASX:SMI) continues to move forward with its Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project in Central Otago, New Zealand, as highlighted in its September 2024 quarterly report. The project was granted fast-track approval by the New Zealand government in early October, enabling a streamlined consent process expected to conclude by mid-2025. CEO Damian Spring stated, “Being named a fast-track project underscores our project’s significance to the region and accelerates our path to production.”
The company is finalising a prefeasibility study (PFS), with completion anticipated in the December quarter. Recent drilling results have been encouraging, with notable intercepts from the RAS deposit, including 41.6m at 8.6g per tonne of gold. This further validates the project’s potential, now with an Indicated resource estimate of 1.45 million ounces of gold, bolstered by ongoing exploration efforts at satellite deposits like SRX.
Santana has also secured a crucial land package to support infrastructure development, including water supply. This acquisition aligns with the company’s strategy to ensure reliable access to resources necessary for future mining operations.