Kaiser Reef: Henty Growth, Maldon Potential & A1 Update (KAU.ASX)

Kaiser Reef (KAU.ASX) is shaping up as a genuine ASX small-cap growth story. In this interview-style analysis, James Whelan sits down with Kaiser Reef’s new managing director Brad Valiukas to unpack how the company is turning an exploration-led portfolio into a production-led growth machine. Kaiser Reef owns and operates the Henty Gold Mine in Tasmania, a long-life underground operation with a 300,000 tpa processing plant, plus the Maldon Gold Project in Victoria, which includes the Union Hill Gold Mine and a 200,000 tpa processing facility, plus a strong exploration footprint across the historic Maldon Goldfield. The September quarterly update highlights continued strength at Henty and meaningful progress at Maldon, underscoring a transition from exploration focus to a bigger, self-funded growth business. Brad explains his background as a mining engineer with extensive production and operational experience, and why Kaiser’s asset mix is a strong fit for delivering the next phase of growth. The conversation covers: the Kaiser's path from exploration to production, optimising Henty, and setting up Maldon for district-scale growth. You’ll hear how the team plans to push throughputs, manage fixed costs, and feed the “beast” at the top end while expanding underground capacity. Key takeaways from the September quarterly production report include: just over 8,100 ounces produced at a head grade of 4.12 g/t with recoveries around 90%, underscoring solid operating momentum post-acquisition. The team is already testing additional crushing capacity to lift throughput and improve cost efficiency, with spare milling capacity available for near-term optimisation. An ongoing resource and reserve refresh on the underground at Henty will feed the longer-term plan to grow both production and reserves. Drilling at Maldon is underway, focusing on district-scale expansion opportunities that could underpin a broader production pipeline. The company remains self-funded with a debt-free balance sheet and is pursuing multiple growth avenues across Henty and Maldon, while acknowledging that the A1 project is transitioning to care and maintenance. This context positions Kaiser well for both near-term cash flow and longer-term growth opportunities. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:16 Brad Valiukas’ background and Kaiser's leadership transition 01:53 Growth strategy and optimisation focus for Henty 02:36 September quarterly production update at Henty 03:09 Assessment of Henty performance, grade and recoveries 04:31 Throughput expansion and plant bottlenecks 05:42 Maldon drilling update and district-scale potential 06:16 Maldon district-scale opportunity and infrastructure 07:47 A1 Gold project context and care/maintenance decision 08:37 Kaiser’s production base and Maldon potential 09:50 Priorities for the next 6–12 months (operational & strategic) 10:24 Shareholder message and closing remarks If you found this analysis helpful, subscribe for Kaiser Reef updates and turn on notifications to catch the next phase of growth at Henty and Maldon. ⚠️ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. All investments carry risk, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research and consider seeking advice from a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The creator may hold positions in securities discussed. 📌 Articles: https://smallcaps.com.au/kaiser-reef-becomes-latest-gold-explorer-debut-asx 🔎 More on this company: https://smallcaps.com.au/stocks/asx-kau/ ⸻ Small Caps is Australia’s #1 site for market news & information on ASX-listed small cap companies. 🌐 WEBSITE https://smallcaps.com.au/ 🎧 PODCAST https://smallcaps.com.au/podcast/ 📱 SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmallCapsASX Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmallCapsASX LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/small-caps/ 📬 NEWSLETTER https://smallcaps.com.au/subscribe/