Vertex Minerals (ASX:VTX) is preparing for underground mining at the Reward Gold Mine, after the process plant achieved a 60% throughput rate of nameplate capacity.
Dewatering has begun of old headings in preparation for the arrival of recently ordered underground mining equipment. Check scaling and assessment of historical ground support has also been completed throughout historical areas of the mine.
Vertex, which has a market capitalisation of $50.67 million, says additional ground support will be installed when the TD1 jumbo drill rig has arrived and commissioned onsite.
Executive Chairman Roger Jackson says the company is gaining confidence in the processing and gold grade in the surface stockpiles.
“The fact they are sitting adjacent to the plant and offer an inexpensive feed source is a real advantage to the plant commissioning process,” Jackson says.
Plant commissioning is continuing with modifications to suit future Reward underground ore feed.
The modifications are considered important in increasing the plant utilisation and increasing throughput towards nameplate capacity and availability.
Further modifications and improvements have been identified in the pre-screening, tails line valves and tails hopper agitator unit areas. These improvements are planned for integration into the process plant over the next six weeks.
Jackson adds that the technical team and operators have been implementing low-cost components and strategies to minimise the fine material into the process.
“Whilst this has set us back in time with moving to cash flow it is important to note that our main game is mining the Reward high-grade gold mine material. Delays due to plant tuning today should translate to higher efficiencies earlier in the mine plan,” he says.
Vertex Minerals is an Australian gold explorer focused on discovering and developing multi-million-ounce gold deposits within the New South Wales and Western Australian goldfields regions.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Vertex Minerals
