Vertex Minerals (ASX:VTX) is making significant operational changes under the guidance of the newly appointed Operations Director, Jim Simpson, with the goal of increasing performance and accelerating the timeline to get operations up to capacity.
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 mind 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 kilotonne per annum.
Director of Operations Jim Simpson says that Vertex is currently reviewing the existing geological model to develop a more robust mine plan.
“My immediate focus is advancing the mine into commercial production to ensure we achieve the production targets set out in the PFS, but I am equally focused on the longer-term expansion opportunities,” Simpson says.
“The mine has incredible potential to scale up from the PFS and existing plans. The upside is that we have only drilled a small percentage of the historic Hill End mineralised zone.”
Key initiatives to be implemented include an increase in monthly development to achieve earlier stoping, an increase in mining grade, an increase in the plant daily operational times, and improved recovery through increased sorting accuracy and better metallurgical expertise.
Finally, Vertex is focused on improving the forward planning, having engaged an experienced mine planner to work on optimising the mining development, mine grades, mining techniques, backfill, and production.
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 Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Vertex Minerals
