Southern Cross Gains Approval for Marda Gold Project

Southern Cross Goldfields LTD, the Australian-based gold mining company has been granted approval to move forward with construction for its Marda Gold Project mine, located approximately 400km northeast of Perth.

The feasibility study will involve open-cut mining with expected output to be around 167,000 ounces over 4 years.

The first phase of the project will consist of the construction of the gold processing plant, tailings facility, accommodation camp and six pits. These initial pits will provide resources for the first 2.5 years of the project's life and will equal around 2/3 of the total reserves of the overall project.

Proposals for additional pits will be submitted to the Department of Mines and Petroleum as needed.

Southern Cross Managing Director, David Sproule said in a press release "This approval is an important milestone for the company which allows us to complete our project development pipeline with a series of attractive projects executed to generate significant return for our shareholders."

Sproule clarified that the priority for the company would be to bring their recently acquired Manuka Silver Mine online as well as resuming mining at Mt Boppy Gold Project near Manuka by early next year, then development with Marda would proceed.

Southern Cross Goldfields LTD is a mining and exploration company with operations in Western Australia and New South Wales. In 2013, the company completed a merger with Polymetals Mining Limited