Comet Gold Mine Restart: Valiant Powers Up Murchison Site, to Name Underground Contractor by December
Comet gold mine restart: Valiant Gold commissions 6.1 MW power in WA's Murchison, names a mining contractor by December, first gold targeted early 2027.
Perth-based Valiant Gold has switched on a 6.1 MW power station at its Comet gold mine in WA's Murchison, it told the ASX on 4 November 2026, and plans to name an underground mining contractor by December. First gold from the restarted mine is targeted for January to June 2027.
What did Valiant Gold announce?
Valiant Gold said permanent power is now running at Comet, about 14 km by road from the Tuckabianna processing mill. The power station was installed on time and within budget. It now drives the primary ventilation fans, and a permanent dewatering system is being installed.
Managing director Brendan Tritton said in the announcement that the focus now is "completing the Restart Study, accelerating dewatering and finalising the key mining and drilling contracts required to support first production in H2 FY27".
Valiant listed four next steps for the restart:
| Next step | Timing given |
|---|---|
| Finish the Comet Restart Study and a preliminary mining schedule | By end of December 2026 |
| Appoint the underground mining services contractor | By end of December 2026 |
| Deliver and mobilise the initial 30-person accommodation camp | Not dated |
| Appoint the underground drilling contractor and start grade-control drilling | Not dated |
Why does the Comet restart matter for WA mining jobs?
A mine restart creates work in stages. Underground miners, drillers and geologists usually follow once a mining contractor is appointed. Valiant has not said how many people the restarted mine will employ.
Its September quarter report gives some early signals. It says a contract for an initial 30-person "scalable" camp was awarded during the quarter. It also says Valiant kept building its technical, operational and corporate workforce to prepare for the restart. The company spent $1.3 million on Comet restart work in the quarter.
Comet will not need its own processing plant. An ore purchase agreement with Westgold Resources secures capacity at Westgold's Tuckabianna and Bluebird mills. Westgold last operated Comet in the 2022-23 financial year. Valiant was demerged from Westgold and listed in March 2026, and Westgold held 44.4% of its shares, according to Valiant's October 2026 investor presentation.
The Comet mine trend holds a mineral resource of 304,000 ounces of gold, the company says. Across its Comet and Reedy projects, the resource is 1.2 million ounces. Valiant says it has made no development decision on its other Reedy targets, Boomerang and South Emu-Triton.
Another Mid West mining contract this week
On the same day, Perth-based Aquirian said its Drillforce business had been chosen as preferred supplier of drill and blast services for SMS Mining Services' Mid-west Hub. The first term is 24 months, worth about $32 million, using three drill rigs. Work is expected to start in the January quarter of 2027. Aquirian said the contract is still under final negotiation.
What it means for Perth and WA job seekers
Most mining hiring in WA is still with the big iron ore and lithium employers. On 6 November, Jobs In Perth listed 262 live mining ads across WA. Of the 50 newest, Mineral Resources and Rio Tinto posted 20 each, BHP 6 and Fortescue 3. Just 1 of those 50 was an underground role: a senior underground geologist with Mineral Resources in Kalgoorlie.
That gap matters for anyone hoping to work at a gold restart such as Comet. Underground roles at smaller miners are often hired through the mining contractor, not the mine owner. Keep an eye on which contractor Valiant appoints before the end of December.
- 172 live FIFO ads across WA were in our feed on 6 November, led by Rio Tinto, Mineral Resources and Fortescue.
- 26 live ads in Geraldton, the Mid West's main town, mostly from government employers.
- Our FIFO jobs and rosters report covers pay and swings across the state.
How we reported this
- The power station, ventilation, contractor timing and 30-person camp come from Valiant Gold's ASX announcement of 4 November 2026.
- Cash, restart spending, the camp contract and workforce comments come from Valiant's September 2026 quarterly activities report. Westgold's shareholding and Comet's last operating year come from Valiant's October 2026 investor presentation.
- The Drillforce contract details come from Aquirian's ASX announcement of 4 November 2026.
- Jobs In Perth figures are live direct-from-employer ads in our feed, observed on 6 November 2026. These are advertised vacancies, not people employed.
- Cover image: AI-generated illustration, not a photo of the event.
Sources
- Valiant Gold: Comet power station commissioned and underground infrastructure energised, ASX announcement (4 November 2026)
- Valiant Gold: September 2026 quarterly activities report (October 2026)
- Valiant Gold: investor presentation (October 2026)
- Aquirian: Drillforce selected as preferred supplier for SMS Mining Mid-west Hub, ASX announcement (4 November 2026)
About this reporting
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