Aeris Resources is looking forward to a better quarter after a tough time with grades and COVID.

The March report said the grade has underperformed in remnant mining areas at Cracow and along with the Tritton operation in New South Wales, was experiencing challenges with the impact of COVID on crew members.

The All-in Sustaining Cost of Gold Mining at Cracow was 11,643oz mined for AUD1,867/oz. 

The gold price hovered at the late AUD2400/oz to early AUD2600/oz over that time, with a peak at $2800/oz.

The signs are otherwise good at Cracow with encouraging results from the Golden Plateau field including high grade intersections across a majority of the deposit.

Assay results were returned for 22 holes out of 35 holes with gold mineralisation intersected over a 470m strike length including 4.0m at 19.4g/t Au (2.9m) and 4.0m at 11.1g/t Au (2.7m).

The company is starting a pre-feasibility study and targeting a maiden minerals resource in the first quarter 2023.

Related: Rosy start to Aeris’ $13m explorationg year for exploration ahead

In the meantime, $13million has been earmarked for exploration next financial year. The targets are in the southern eastern and western vein fields.

At the same time production is scheduled to start at the Roses Pride project and the Golden Plateau Project is set to become development ready.

This is on top of seven greenfields projects and another two brownfields projects.

The resource estimate is 3,900,000t at 3.1g/t.

Cracow is located 500km north west of Brisbane and 100 percent owned by Aeris Resources which has 18 mining leases covering 903 square kilometres.

The mine has 216 full time equivalent staff.