Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 14, New Frontier Minerals has submitted a mining lease application for the Big One copper deposit, part of its NWQ copper project in the Mount Isa copper belt of north-west Queensland. The 240-hectare lease secures long-term tenure over the historical Big One workings and surrounding mineralised zones.

The application is supported by an initial development plan proposing an opencut copper mining operation. The plan references Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant indicated and inferred resources of 2.1 million tonnes at 1.1% copper, alongside 7,000 tonnes at 1.3% copper from surface stockpiles. Preparatory earthworks are scheduled for the third quarter of 2026, with first production targeted for the first quarter of 2027. Extracted ore will be transported to Austral Resources’ Mt Kelly copper processing facility under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed earlier this year between the two ASX-listed companies.

New Frontier chairperson Gerrard Hall said: “With the macro picture for copper demand remaining robust and a path to production in place through our MoU framework with Austral Resources, lodging a mining lease application for the Big One deposit is the optimal path to generate value for shareholders.” He added: “As the known resource at the Big One deposit is relatively shallow, the current plans call for an opencut mining operation with ore then transported to Austral’s Mt Kelly copper processing facility and ultimately on-sold to end-users.”

Hall also noted that further exploration could extend known mineralisation, with the broader NWQ copper project hosting 20 highly prospective targets that have not yet been fully evaluated.

Located in one of Australia’s established copper districts, the NWQ project benefits from existing road, power, and processing infrastructure, which the company said will help streamline development and reduce capital intensity. The proposed operation is designed to leverage previously disturbed areas on site to minimise surface impact, reflecting New Frontier’s commitment to responsible development.

The lease application marks a key step for New Frontier in advancing the Big One deposit toward production. By using the MoU framework with Austral Resources, the company plans to efficiently process ore while managing costs and operational complexity. The project is positioned to meet growing copper demand, driven by industrial and renewable energy applications.

New Frontier Minerals continues to focus on responsible and efficient development of the NWQ copper project. The combination of shallow resources at Big One, strong infrastructure support, and a clear path to production provides a foundation for near-term value creation while maintaining environmental stewardship. The broader NWQ project remains highly prospective, offering significant exploration upside as additional targets are evaluated in the coming years.