Key Highlights

  • The 2.5-million-tonne-a-year Black Swan hub remains on track for first gold in the second half of calendar 2027.
  • Contractor Civitech has started ring-beam foundations for the first carbon-in-leach tank.
  • The early works agreement with GR Engineering Services has been extended to 31 December 2026, at an additional cost of $19.9 million.
  • The full engineering, procurement and construction contract is still being finalised.

Maritana Minerals (ASX:MRT) provided a construction update on its Black Swan Processing Hub on 11 November 2026, saying the project remained on track for first gold in the second half of calendar 2027. The 2.5-million-tonne-a-year hub sits about 50 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie, and the company says all statutory approvals needed to build the plant are in place.

Contractor Civitech started ring-beam foundations for the first carbon-in-leach (CIL) tank in October, completing reinforcement and formwork before placing concrete. Further foundation work and tank erection will follow as additional construction fronts open.

A larger early works commitment

Maritana has extended its early works agreement with GR Engineering Services (ASX:GNG) to 31 December 2026, at an additional committed cost of $19.9 million. The original agreement, announced on 20 July 2026, committed $31.5 million of expenditure to 31 October.

The extension maintains detailed engineering, long-lead procurement and earthworks while the full engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract is finalised. Until that contract is signed, the overall Capital cost and the allocation of construction risk between Maritana and its contractor are not fully settled.

Procurement and refurbishment

During October, orders progressed for the regeneration kiln, electrowinning cells and slurry samplers. Negotiations are well advanced for elution columns, bolted CIL tanks, intertank screens and platework.

Demolition of redundant front-end infrastructure was completed in October, creating space for new conveyors and a regrind circuit. Specialised Reline Services began removing liners from the semi-autogenous grinding mill, which rotated earlier this year for the first time in about 17 years. Hofmann Engineering has received a letter of award for refurbishment work.

PCH Civil is expanding the run-of-mine pad so the plant can receive, stockpile and blend ore from several regional operations. A further lift of tailings storage Facility four is about to go to tender, providing about three years of capacity while the company designs, permits and builds a fifth facility.

A hub-and-spoke model

Managing Director Grant Haywood said the start of concrete works for the new CIL circuit was another visible step forward. He said the project was more than a plant refurbishment, describing it as a regional gold processing hub for multiple Kalgoorlie ore sources.

The model relies on feed from several deposits. Mining at the company's Boorara Gold Project is targeted to restart in mid-2027, and a 60,000-metre resource conversion campaign continues across the Kalgoorlie Eastern Hub deposits. Earlier this month, Maritana also reported a maiden ore reserve at Rose Hill.

Operational leadership

Chris Mardon has joined as general manager of operations to lead the transition from construction to commissioning. He has previously worked at Mineral Mining Services, Focus Minerals (ASX:FML) and Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN).

Why it matters

Processing capacity is a valuable asset in the Goldfields, where many smaller deposits lack a nearby mill. A working hub would allow Maritana to treat its own ore and potentially third-party feed, but only if construction and commissioning deliver the planned throughput.

Risks

Refurbishing a plant that has been idle for many years can uncover additional work, and the cost of the extended early works shows how quickly spending accumulates before an EPC contract is in place. The first-gold target depends on contracting, procurement lead times and the timing of ore Supply from Boorara.

The hub strategy also depends on regional ore owners. If third-party feed becomes available on commercial terms, it could help Fill capacity during the early years while Maritana's own deposits ramp up. No such agreements were described in the latest update, so early feed rests on Maritana's deposits.

Next steps

Finalising the EPC contract is the next major milestone, followed by tank erection, mill refurbishment and the tailings lift tender. Each will provide a clearer view of whether the second-half 2027 timetable holds.