Production at the mill at the newly restarted Thalanga project south-west of Charters Towers has ramped up to an annualised processing rate of 325ktpa.

Owner Red River Resources said this exceeded the 300ktpa rate contemplated by its 2015 Restart Study and it is now looking at ways to take the mill to its nameplate capacity of more than 650ktpa.

Red River commenced concentrate production at the zinc project earlier this month and said the mill had processed about 13,500 tonnes of low to medium-grade ore so far.

The company said its ability to increase throughput to “fill the mill” would be contingent upon sufficient ore mining capacity from deposits across the Thalanga project.

To this end, Red River is focusing on increasing its mineral resource base at Thalanga to take advantage of high base metal prices.

The company said it expected the updated West 45 mineral resource and ore reserve estimate and the updated Thalanga Far West mineral resource and maiden ore reserve estimate to be completed in the coming quarter.