The DeGrussa operation in Western Australia produced 16,390 tonnes of copper and 9660 ounces of gold, to take half-year production to 35,790t of copper and 21,343oz of gold.

The company is now targeting the upper end of guidance of 67,000-70,000t of copper and 36,000-40,000oz of gold.

C1 costs for the quarter were US89c per pound and 72c/lb for the half, well below guidance of 85-90c/lb.

Unaudited revenue for the half was A$355.6 million from 13 shipments, and chief financial officer Matt Fitzgerald flagged a "very solid profit number" to be reported next month.

The company completed a further four shipments in January and was holding 32,000t of copper concentrate at the end of the quarter.

Cash at the end of the quarter was $335.8 million.

The company is well-funded for its growth opportunities, which include the T3 Motheo project in Botswana and Black Butte project in Montana.

Construction of the US$259 million T3 Motheo mine is due to begin this quarter, and the company will seek to secure debt financing of about $150 million.

"The December quarter really does mark an exciting new period of growth for Sandfire," managing director Karl Simich said today.

An enhanced feasibility study for the Black Butte project is underway.

Sandfire is also working on a maiden gold resource for the Old Highway project, due in the June quarter, which will underpin a scoping study into processing gold at DeGrussa.

Shares in Sandfire reached a 52-week high of $5.85 last month and dropped 0.2% to $4.75 today.