Ausenco has been awarded the contract to lead the Feasibility Study of the Ikkari Gold project (“Ikkari”) for Rupert Exploration Finland Oy. (“Rupert”), a gold exploration and development company.
Located 45 km from Sodankylä in northern Finland, within the Lapland region, the Ikkari project is a grassroots discovery made in 2020 and advanced to a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) in early 2025. The project is now progressing toward a staged 3.5 Mt/y operation with a 20-year life-of-mine. The development strategy accelerates production through an initial open-pit operation over the first ten years and will transition to long-hole open-stope underground mining for the remaining ten years.
Ausenco will lead and deliver a robust, bankable Feasibility Study from its Perth office, integrating specialists from across its Australian and Canadian teams. This collaborative approach leverages decades of technical expertise and a proven track record in designing and executing gold projects worldwide, including in harsh, remote environments.
Graham Crew, Rupert’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “The appointment of Ausenco represents an important milestone in advancing the project towards development. As a global leader in engineering, project delivery and consulting leader, Ausenco brings proven experience in the design and execution of gold processing plants comparable in scale and flowsheet design to Ikkari. Their proven ability to integrate teams from Australia and Canada in close collaboration with our project team and local partners ensures the delivery of a world-class study aligned with our strategic objectives.”
The scope will include value engineering, implementation planning, and detailed design of the process plant, and supporting mine infrastructure. The study will apply innovative, energy‑efficient designs to reduce the project’s overall carbon footprint to support Rupert’s carbon‑neutral targets. It will be completed to AACE Class 3 standards, delivering capital and operating cost estimates with ±15% accuracy. Ausenco will also act as the Qualified Person (QP) for the NI 43‑101 Technical Report.
Reuben Joseph, President – APAC/Africa at Ausenco, said, “We are excited to partner with Rupert Resources on their Ikkari project, which will allow us to showcase technical excellence in a unique regional environment. By leveraging our global gold study and project delivery experience, along with our industry expertise in gold recovery and energy efficiency, we are well positioned to deliver a robust study that supports Rupert’s operational, environmental and local community goals.”
Ausenco recognises that partnership with local communities and organisations is central to the success of world-class projects. As the Ikkari Feasibility Study progresses, Ausenco will develop a delivery framework that integrates local knowledge, aligns with regional standards and identifies opportunities to use local expertise, helping ensure lasting positive outcomes for the region.
About Ausenco
Ausenco is a global engineering, consulting and project delivery firm built for the minerals and metals industry. With three decades of global experience, we work alongside clients to navigate complex challenges from first study to final closure—across every phase, on five continents. Deeply rooted in the minerals and metals industry, our people combine technical depth, hands-on expertise, and hard-earned insight to deliver practical, forward-thinking solutions that reduce risk and unlock value. (www.ausenco.com).
About Rupert Resources
Rupert Resources is focused on creating value for all stakeholders through the exploration and sustainable development of gold projects in the Lapland region of Northern Finland.
The Company’s primary focus is the advancement of Ikkari - Europe’s next world class gold mine. Ikkari has a >4Moz gold resource with high margins, lowest quartile costs and emissions and is located in a safe and stable, Tier 1 jurisdiction.
Rupert Resources has assembled an experienced and highly credible management team with the capability to advance Ikkari through development, construction, and into production.
Through a targeted exploration program, Rupert Resources aims to identify an additional 3Moz of standalone gold discoveries over the next five years across its recently expanded 1,575 km² land position, consolidating its presence in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt. https://rupertresources.com/