Emu (ASX:EMU) commissioned external mining models at its Badja gold project in Western Australia, noting that current gold prices favor economic gold production, according to a Thursday Australian bourse filing.

Accessing high-grade gold shoots via an initial open-cut mining operation is thought likely to lead to economic underground gold production, the firm's non-executive chairman Peter Thomas said.

The modeling will focus on the Gnows Nest and Monte Cristo areas within the project.

Its shares rose 10% on market close on Thursday.