Government Environmental Approvals for the Gonneville Project
In March, Chalice referred the Gonneville Project for government environmental approvals – seeking approval from State and Commonwealth governments to develop the Project into a mine on Chalice-owned farmland.
For more details of the Project proposal and approvals processes, visit the new Gonneville Project website
Commonwealth Awards Major Project Status to Gonneville
In the September 2024 Gonneville was approved as a ‘Strategic Project’ by the Western Australian State Government. In October 2024 Gonneville was awarded ‘Major Project Status’ by the Australian Federal Government. This is formal recognition of the significance of the Project to both Western Australia and the Commonwealth.
| Location | ~70km NE of Perth, Western Australia |
|---|---|
| Project Stage | Resource; Feasibility and Permitting |
| Acquired | Exploration licenses staked in 2018 |
| Ownership | 100% |
The Gonneville Platinum Group Metal-Nickel-Copper (PGE-Ni-Cu) is a development project located on Chalice-owned farmland, in Western Australia. The Project is centred on the Gonneville Deposit – a significant greenfield mineral discovery by Chalice’s geologists in early 2020.
The Gonneville Resource hosts a rare mix of critical minerals required for decarbonisation and urbanisation, such as palladium, platinum, nickel, copper and cobalt. Largescale deposits like Gonneville are very rare and therefore have high strategic value, as current production of PGE metals is dominated by Russia and South Africa and significant supply shortages are predicted.
In July 2024 Chalice signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Mitsubishi Corporation to work together on the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS). Mitsubishi is one of Japan’s largest conglomerates and a leading global natural resources investor with a successful track record of partnering with global mining companies to fund and develop major mining projects. Chalice and Mitsubishi share a mutually valued relationship and continue to collaborate on the optimal development pathway for Gonneville.
In December 2025, the Pre-Feasibility was completed determining the optimal development pathway for the Project. A long life and globally critical minerals mine in Western Australia, set to generate A$4.7bn in free cashflow pre-tax, with a rapid payback of ~2.7 years.
Chalice recognises the need to develop the Gonneville Project sustainably and responsibly, with a commitment to responsible environmental, social and cultural heritage management, and contribution to the local economic development.
Government Environmental Approvals for the Gonneville Project
In March, Chalice referred the Gonneville Project for government environmental approvals – seeking approval from State and Commonwealth governments to develop the Project into a mine on Chalice-owned farmland.
For more details of the Project proposal and approvals processes, visit the new Gonneville Project website
Location
The 100%-owned Gonneville PGE-Ni-Cu Project is located on Chalice-owned farmland ~70km north-east of Perth, Western Australia.
Being proximal to Perth, the region has excellent nearby infrastructure including high-voltage power, rail, sealed highways and deep-water ports, plus access to a significant highly skilled workforce.
The Gonneville discovery has opened up a new unexplored mineral province, the West Yilgarn Ni-Cu-PGM Province in Western Australia. Chalice has a first-mover advantage in the new province and is progressing exploration activities across the West Yilgarn concurrently with development activities at Gonneville.
Geology & Resource
The Gonneville Deposit is located within a ~1.9km x 0.9km x >0.8km section of the Julimar Complex, known as the Gonneville Intrusion, which has a north-north-east strike, maximum thickness of approximately 650m, and 45° west-north-west dip. The Gonneville Intrusion is composed predominantly of serpentinised olivine peridotite / harzburgite (serpentine-magnetite-amphibole-chromite) with lesser intervals of pyroxenite (amphibole-chlorite), gabbro and leucogabbro (clinozoisite-amphibole) divided into a series of eight litho-geochemical domains.
The weathering profile in the area extends to approximately 30–40m below surface. A well-developed laterite and saprolite profile is present which contains elevated palladium grades from near surface to a depth of approximately 25m. There is a narrow transition zone between the oxide and sulphide zones, which is generally <15m thick.
The litho-geochemical domains broadly parallel the strike and dip of the Gonneville Intrusion and are interpreted to represent discrete magma influxes and associated fractionation units. The intrusion is crosscut by a later granite body, which broadly parallels the dip and strike orientation of the mafic-ultramafic package.
Crosscutting the entire intrusive package is a series of sub vertical, north-east to north-west striking, dolerite dykes. Both the granite body and dolerite dykes are un-mineralised. A package of meta-sedimentary rocks surrounds the Gonneville intrusion. Although texturally the intrusive rock-types within the complex are moderately well preserved, permitting the use of igneous terminology, all rock units have been replaced by mineral assemblages characteristic of upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies metamorphism.
The Gonneville Intrusion is bounded to the west (hanging wall) by felsic gneiss/metasediment and to the east (footwall) by a succession comprising metasediments (sulphidic pelite) and amphibolite of uncertain parentage.
Resource and Reserve
The Resource hosts a rare mix of critical and strategic minerals required for decarbonisation, urbanisation and defence technologies, such as palladium, platinum, nickel, copper and cobalt (Table 1 below).
Table 1. Gonneville Mineral Resource Estimate (Resource) 23 April 2024
| Classification* | Mass | Grade | Contained Metal | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt | 3E (g/t) | Ni (%) | Cu (%) | Co (%) | 3E (Moz) | Ni (kt) | Cu (kt) | Co (kt) | |
| Measured | 2.9 | 1.20 | 0.21 | 0.17 | 0.018 | 0.12 | 6.1 | 4.8 | 0.52 |
| Indicated | 400 | 0.79 | 0.15 | 0.087 | 0.015 | 10 | 610 | 370 | 65 |
| Inferred | 250 | 0.80 | 0.15 | 0.076 | 0.014 | 6.4 | 370 | 200 | 37 |
| Total | 660 | 0.79 | 0.15 | 0.083 | 0.015 | 17 | 960 | 540 | 96 |
Table 2. Gonneville Ore Reserve Estimate (Reserve)
| Classification* | Mass | Grade | Contained Metal | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt | 3E (g/t) | Ni (%) | Cu (%) | Co (%) | 3E (Moz) | Ni (kt) | Cu (kt) | Co (kt) | |
| Proved | 2.5 | 1.40 | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.018 | 0.11 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 0.45 |
| Probable | 260 | 0.85 | 0.16 | 0.098 | 0.017 | 7.1 | 400 | 250 | 43 |
| Total | 260 | 0.86 | 0.16 | 0.098 | 0.017 | 7.1 | 400 | 260 | 43 |
For further details, refer to the Company’s ASX Announcement “Gonneville Palladium-Nickel-Copper Project PFS” dated 8 December 2025.
Development Plan
In December 2025, Chalice completed a Pre-Feasibility Study for the Gonneville Project, which confirms a long life and globally competitive critical minerals mine in Western Australia, set to generate strong financial returns and regional benefits, plus significant upside.
The development plan for the Project is to construct an open pit mine, process plant and supporting infrastructure in two stages.
- Stage 1
- Scoped for lowest capital cost, maximum rate of return and shortest capital payback period.
- 4 years of higher-grade and higher-margin open-pit mining, processing oxide at 1Mtpa and sulphide at 4Mtpa in parallel, through a conventional crush-grind-flotation-leach process plant.
- Stage 2
- Expansion optimised for optimal strategic value, mine life and profitability through the price cycle.
- From year 5 to year 23, a long-life, bulk open-pit mining phase, processing oxide at 1Mtpa and sulphide at 12Mtpa processing throughput rate. De-bottlenecking of the process plant is completed post oxide feed exhaustion in year 9 to allow for an ultimate 14Mtpa sulphide process throughput rate.
The staged development approach de-risks the project with efficient deployment of capital and ability to adapt future stages to learnings and macro-economic conditions. Timing of the Stage 2 expansion is selected to ensure capital payback of Stage 1 and sufficient de-risking of the process flowsheet, however this could be accelerated if macro-economic conditions incentivise. Regulatory approval applications will include both Stage 1 and Stage 2, with any further expansions or line extensions needing future amendments.
The Stage 1 process throughput of 5Mtpa combined oxide and sulphide feed was selected as the optimal case for the higher-grade starter pit, which balanced sufficient return on fixed capital, shortest payback period, within funding constraints and a commensurate manageable risk profile for implementation by Chalice.
Ultimate processing capacity of 14Mtpa of sulphide feed was selected based on long term macro-economic assumptions, mining inventory, equipment sizing, process water and site footprint characteristics, to deliver optimal strategic value of the project over the longer term within credible financing constraints. It is expected that significant debt funding would be available to fund both Stage 1 and Stage 2 capital costs.
The timing and sizing of the Stage 2 expansion is flexible and provides optionality, with the investment decision for this expansion expected to be made separately to Stage 1 FID, in ~2031-2033. Macro-economic conditions may incentivise an earlier (or later) expansion, which would be possible within the planned regulatory approvals scope.
Development Timeline
The PFS has demonstrated that the Project is technically and commercially viable, and hence Chalice is now progressing the development plan into a Bankable Feasibility Study (FS). The FS will involve optimising the design and undertaking detailed engineering to prepare the Project for a Final Investment Decision (FID) on Stage 1, targeted in H1 CY28.
An FID is expected to be made, subject to the finalisation of all key activities:
- Feasibility Study completed – H1 CY27
- Offtake agreements executed – H2 CY27
- Funding sourced – H1 CY28
- Major environmental approvals – H1 CY28
Following FID, a 1.5–2 year engineering and construction phase is expected, resulting in first production in early 2030.
Sustainability
Chalice recognises the need to develop the Gonneville Project sustainably and responsibly, with a best practice approach to environmental, social and cultural heritage management, and to contribute to local economic development.
As part of this commitment, Chalice has developed the Gonneville Biodiversity Strategy which sets a goal to ensure a science-based no net loss of species or habitat diversity as a result of our operations. An innovative program of work is planned to rehabilitate areas of remnant vegetation, form ecological corridors and reduce habitat fragmentation.
Chalice is proud to be part of the communities surrounding the Gonneville Project, and is committed to prioritising local employment, supporting local businesses and investing locally to create long lasting benefits.
Chalice has built a strong relationship with Traditional Owners and continues work to understand the cultural values of the Gonneville Project area. The Company has also collaborated with Whadjuk representatives on our ongoing baseline fauna surveys.
Core Gallery
See gallery for assorted Gonneville Project core samples.
