Mining services company RCT is enhancing narrow vein mining, via installing an Aramine L350D mining loader to Vertex Minerals’ (ASX:VTX) Reward Gold Mine in New South Wales.
The small underground loader is uniquely designed for narrow vein mining, making it a perfect fit for Vertex’s operations.
Vertex, which has a market capitalisation of $53 million, will be able to efficiently extract gold from narrow, hard-to-reach veins, demonstrating the potential for innovative technology in small-scale mining operations.
RCT’s AutoNav Tele allows operators to control the loader with the same functionalities from a safe location, removing them from the machine and allowing it to access the narrow vein mines with ease.
The mining services company notes this is the first time it has installed its technology on Vertex’s Aramine loader.
East Coast Branch Manager Owen Perrott says this is more than just a machine installation as it can access areas previously unreachable, unlocking gold reserves left behind for decades.
“Design was completed in collaboration between our experienced field service technician, Tim Halstead, based in Orange, and the Brisbane Branch team,” Perrott says.
“Due to the demand I have been receiving from other sites for smaller hut offerings, I thought it would be a good opportunity to design a layout for one, from the ground up.”
RCT notes that the installation was challenging due to the machine’s size and limited available space, requiring the team to collaborate with Aramine to ensure the machine met Australian Standards.
In addition to this, a custom ‘mini’ AutoNav hut was designed and delivered on site to cater to the client’s specific needs. The mini hut is not typically used at most sites, as it is approximately half the size of a standard AutoNav Centre.
RCT adds that this introduced space constraints for the hardware; however, Vertex needed a mini hut to accommodate their mine structure and small portal.
Earlier this month, Vertex revealed a goal to increase performance and accelerate the timeline to get operations up to capacity at Reward. The Reward Gold Mine is currently in a 14-month commissioning phase, as outlined in the Prefeasibility Study (PFS), which commenced September 2025. Vertex plans to commission the mine in the September 2026 quarter.
The new plans involve both short- and long-term initiatives to bring the mine to its nameplate capacity of 110 kilotonnes per annum.
In January 2026, Panel 1 of the 640-Mica Vein delivered 277 tonnes at 16.6 grams per tonne. Panel 2 was fired with Tele-Remote partially bogged and in early February has produced 48 tonnes at 37g/t and 233 tonnes at 7.6g/t, as reported.
Vertex Minerals is a gold exploration company focused on discovery and development of the next generation of multi-million ounce gold deposits in New South Wales.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: RCT & Vertex Minerals
