Argent Accelerates Development Plans for Kempfield Silver Project
Argent Minerals has accelerated its development plans for its Kempfield silver project in New South Wales, citing rising silver prices and demand. The company's new CEO, Mike McKevitt, says that with current metal recovery and payability factors, the resource base is worth around $6 billion.
Kempfield currently holds a Mineral Resource Estimate of 63.7Mt at 69.75g/t for 142.8Moz silver equivalent, making it Australia's second-largest undeveloped silver deposit. The project contains 65.8Moz silver, 125,000oz gold, 207,000t lead, and 420,000t zinc.
McKevitt aims to complete a resource update within the next six to eight months, followed by a cash flow model and NPV calculation. The company will then apply for a mining lease and conduct a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) to establish Kempfield as a financeable investment by H1 2029.
Argent is also working on environmental permitting and stakeholder engagement, including consultation with the NSW government. Metallurgical testwork has shown strong recoveries from Kempfield's primary zone, with around 86% for silver and 90% for gold.