Cyprium Metals advances Nifty copper restart with first production on track for Q4

Cyprium Metals Ltd (ASX:CYM, OTCQB:CYPMF) has achieved key commissioning milestones at its Nifty Copper Complex in Western Australia, with heap leach operations ramping up and first copper cathode production remaining on track for the fourth quarter of 2026.

The company has established 212 production and monitoring wells and prepared approximately 1.7 million tonnes of material for near-term leaching, providing an estimated six to eight months of operating inventory.

Initial commissioning of Pad 6 has achieved targeted injection rates and volumes, while early copper recovery results are meeting or exceeding modelled expectations.

High-voltage power has also been connected to the solvent extraction and electrowinning (SXEW) plant’s electrical infrastructure and controls, clearing another milestone ahead of wet commissioning.

Heap leach commissioning delivers early results

Cyprium has completed and cased an additional 198 production and monitoring wells across Heaps 13 to 16 on Pad 6 following a successful direct injection field trial in August, bringing the total to 212 wells.

Near-term mine plan across Heaps 13-16 on Pad 6.

Grade control drilling has validated the existing mineral resource block model, with composite samples from 24 wells reconciling within 5% of estimated grades.

The company has also completed the production pipework required to support leaching operations, with solution currently being delivered to two production blocks as activities ramp up towards continuous injection.

Early leaching results have demonstrated that copper can be extracted at rates consistent with the company’s operating assumptions.

Copper concentrations in the off-flow solution have increased by approximately 1 gram per litre to around 1.3 grams per litre, while acid consumption has averaged 4.25 grams per litre.

The resulting copper-to-acid ratio of 1:4.25 is in line with or better than modelled expectations and previous testing results.

These early results support Cyprium’s planned use of direct injection technology, which delivers leaching solution into targeted sections of existing heaps to improve contact with copper-bearing material.

Direct injection leaching process.

First copper cathode targeted for Q4

With the initial leaching infrastructure established, Cyprium is progressively increasing solution volumes to production scale ahead of SXEW plant commissioning.

The company expects copper concentrations in solution to build towards the target grade of at least 2.5 grams per litre required for processing through the solvent extraction plant.

Preparations for wet commissioning are accelerating following the connection of high-voltage power, with first copper cathode production still targeted for Q4 2026.

Executive chairman Matt Fifield said the early commissioning results validated the company’s operating assumptions.

“It is exciting to see the early results of heap leach commissioning so quickly validating our operating assumptions. Hats off to the team working so diligently on the ground to enable this. Over the next few weeks, we will expand the leaching footprint to encompass multiple areas on the heaps to match our targeted rates,” Fifield said.

“We are demonstrating that we can quickly build solution grade from primary leaching as the SXEW approaches commissioning. This is another foundational moment as we continue to build Australia’s next great copper company.”

About the Nifty Copper Complex

The Nifty Copper Complex, in Western Australia’s Paterson region, is Cyprium’s flagship asset and previously produced copper from both oxide and sulphide resources.

The company is pursuing a phased restart of the operation, initially targeting copper production through reprocessing existing heap leach material.

Nifty benefits from established infrastructure, existing operational approvals and historical operating data, supporting Cyprium’s strategy to return the asset to production.

Beyond Nifty, Cyprium holds additional copper-focused assets in Western Australia’s Paterson and Murchison provinces, providing longer-term exploration and development opportunities.