Hycroft Mining (NASDAQ:HYMC) has engaged RESPEC to review underground mining options at the recently discovered Brimstone and Vortex silver systems located at the Hycroft Mine in Nevada.
RESPEC will collaborate with Hycroft’s technical team, using all data from work completed to date. The scope of work includes evaluating mining methods, conceptual mine design, and scheduling development.
In parallel, Hycroft is also evaluating the development of an exploration decline to enable underground drill access. This is expected to maximise drilling efficiencies while delivering savings in time and cost. RESPEC’s engineering work will determine the optimal port location and appropriate decline dimensions, which could also support future production.
CEO Diane Garrett says the appointment of RESPEC will help the company assess the potential to develop a decline, giving Hycroft direct access to its new silver deposits.
“The Brimstone system in particular starts from only 30m beneath the existing open pit so a decline will allow us to consider an underground drilling program as well as give us early production options,” Garrett says.
Hycroft Mine
WestLand Engineering & Environmental Services has also completed engineering work associated with the additional lifts on the tailings storage facility (TSF). The additional TSF capacity is needed to accommodate additional tailing material as a result of the large increase in Hycroft’s mineral resource.
With this work completed, Ausenco Engineering South USA can complete the initial assessment technical report with economics. The company is anticipating that it will be complete during Q2 2026.
The Hycroft Mine is permitted for heap leach and milling operations and currently has extensive infrastructure on site including three-stage crushing facilities, leach pad capacity, and two Merrill Crowe plants with refinery.
Hycroft has a gold resource of 16.4 million ounces in the measured and indicated categories and 5.03 million ounces in the inferred category. The mine also has a silver resource of 562.6 million ounces in the measured and indicated categories, as well as 132.8 million ounces in the inferred category.
Hycroft Mining is a US-based gold and silver company focused on developing one of the world’s largest precious metal deposits.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Hycroft Mining
