Green Light for Gold: Rox Resources Clears Final Hurdle for Youanmi Underground Mining

Rox Resources (ASX: RXL) has achieved a critical milestone at its flagship Youanmi Gold Project in Western Australia, receiving final approvals to commence underground mining. The go-ahead from the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration completes the suite of permits needed to kick off operations beneath the surface, with early-stage site works already in full swing.

Mining contractor Byrnecut Australia is mobilising this month, with the first cut of the United North exploration decline slated to begin in early November. Preparations at the site are already well advanced, including reconstruction of access roads, face meshing and marking of the decline portal. A temporary power station is also nearing commissioning, enabling immediate support for the underground development.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Phill Wilding described the permit approval as a transformational step in Rox’s journey to production. “Byrnecut is ready to hit the ground running,” Wilding said. “We are building out the Rox team with the right skills and experience to deliver a world-class operation.”

The approvals mark the end of a regulatory process that also included the granting of a Native Vegetation Clearing Permit in August and water extraction permissions secured earlier from the Department of Water and Environment Regulation.

Further permitting for the proposed processing plant and associated infrastructure is progressing, with final submissions due to be lodged in November. Rox expects approvals for the Mining Development and Closure Proposal in the first quarter of calendar year 2026, followed by Works Approvals in the second quarter. These approvals will pave the way for early construction of the plant and tailings facility.

Meanwhile, dewatering of the main Youanmi pit is halfway complete, with operations running at approximately 100 litres per second. Full dewatering is expected by the first quarter of 2026, aligning with the projected timeline for underground mining expansion.

The company’s Phase 1 camp expansion is also progressing. The first sixty high-specification accommodation rooms are now in place, with a larger Phase 2 expansion planned for early 2026. This second stage will include 240 rooms and a 300-person kitchen to support the workforce required for construction and ramp-up.

Rox is also advancing the Definitive Feasibility Study, with a team of well-known consultants leading key work streams. These include Maca Interquip Mintrex on plant design, Glencore Technology and Core Resources handling metallurgical testing of the Albion Process, and MineGeoTech managing geotechnical assessments.

With a mineral resource of 12.1 million tonnes at 5.6 grams per tonne for 2.2 million ounces of gold, the Youanmi project is shaping up as a high-grade, long-life development in one of the country’s most prospective regions. Rox is working closely with debt advisors to secure financing and remains on track to deliver a fully permitted, shovel-ready operation.