ECR Minerals (ECR ) continues to fine-tune operations at its Raglan gold project in Australia, which recently went into production.
During May 2026, a drone Lidar survey was completed across the Raglan project area, with data analysis and interpretation now underway to support mine planning, identify additional palaeochannel targets and seeking to enhance future production activities.
The survey has the potential significantly to improve ECR's understanding of historical drainage systems, palaeochannels and mining targets across the project area. The interpreted data is expected to assist future mine planning, identify additional mining opportunities and support production scheduling activities.
Mining operations to date have already identified areas with potentially higher gold grades, specifically gullies into the main stream which can act as traps for alluvial gold. The survey therefore forms an important component of the company's ongoing efforts to optimise mining operations and maximise the broader potential of the Raglan Project.
In addition, ECR has engaged an independent alluvial gold specialist with more than thirty years' industry experience to review the mining and processing operations at Raglan
This review identified several adjustments to optimise gold recovery across the processing circuit. These included improvements to gravity recovery systems, water management, jig performance and overall plant calibration. This optimisation programme can increase the recovery potential at the Raglan project.
The independent review also included a detailed assessment of mining operations and interpretation of the alluvial system. Priority target areas have been identified within ECR's existing phase 1 mining plan and activities are now being directed towards these zones which, based on ground analysis, are believed to represent favourable sections of the historical river channel system. In time, the findings from the Lidar data will also be integrated, with a view to further enhancing efficiency.
Separately, ECR has commenced the process of appointing a consulting geologist to support its development, exploration and production activities across its Queensland gold portfolio. This development comes in the context of ECR completing its acquisition of Paleogold Limited.
The successful candidate will work alongside the company's current operational team and will provide geological oversight across multiple projects, including Raglan, Blue Mountain, Lolworth, Maddens and other new potential development opportunities for the company's portfolio.
"We recognise that shareholders have been waiting for an update on Raglan,” said ECR chairman Nick Tulloch.
“We bought the project as a turnkey operation and it has delivered on that - plant and equipment with a like-for-like replacement value in excess of the acquisition price and a mining lease that is showing very promising opportunities. Alluvial gold production is about mining in the right locations, processing the right material and ensuring the plant settings are optimised for that material. Fairly small changes can produce significant results. There has inevitably been some operational learning on site over these early months, but Raglan is now beginning to demonstrate the characteristics we expected when we acquired the project.”
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Alluvial mining is fundamentally about processing large volumes of material where small alterations to technique can have a significant effect on results. ECR looks to be keen to learn fast what does and doesn’t work, and is beginning to get the most out Raglan as it possibly can. That bodes well for work that’s continuing on other projects and, more immediately, for the cash flow of the company.