Cracow Gold Operations is an established underground gold operation located near the towns of Cracow and Theodore in central Queensland. Aeris acquired Cracow Gold Operations on 1 July 2020 and holds a significant tenement package over the Cracow goldfields.
Key Information
Location: | Near the towns of Cracow and Theodore in central Queensland, on the traditional lands of the Wulli Wulli people |
Province: | Connors-Auburn Arch (New England Fold Belt) |
Resource: | Gold |
Mining Method: | Underground mining |
History
Following the discovery of gold in the area dating back to the 1930’s, more than two million ounces of gold have been mined from the Cracow goldfields. The current mining operation commenced in 2005 with Aeris acquiring the asset in 2020 from Evolution Mining.
Cracow has multiple ore bodies accessed by a single decline to the surface and mined via open stoping through a modified Avoca mining sequence. Processing is via a 600,000tpa capacity facility involving conventional crushing and grinding, followed by a leaching / CIP circuit to recover gold and silver doré
Development and Exploration
Cracow sits within a highly endowed goldfield with gold mineralisation hosted in steeply dipping, structurally controlled, low sulphidation epithermal veins.
The current focus of exploration activities at Cracow is the historic Golden Plateau deposit in the Eastern Vein Field. A maiden resource was released on Golden Plateau in early 2023 and Aeris is advancing technical studies to bring the deposit into production.
Community
Cracow is an important regional employer in central Queensland, with roughly half the workforce based across central Queensland or living locally at Cracow or the nearby town of Theodore.
The land on which Cracow Gold Operations operates is held under native title to the Wulli Wulli people, through the Wulli Wulli Nation Aboriginal Corporation (WWNAC). Aeris holds a Cultural Heritage Management Plan, Indigenous Land Use Agreement and Relationship Agreement with WWNAC. Heritage teams are regularly onsite to inspect ground for drilling and ensure heritage values are mapped and protected. We also meet regularly as a Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee to discuss heritage projects.
Cracow Gold Operations is an active member of the local community, investing in education and career pathways for local residents and supporting a range of local organisations.
You can learn more about Cracow Gold Operations by viewing our fact sheet here.