Vertex Minerals (ASX:VTX) says it remains on track to bring the Reward Gold Mine into full production in October, as it prepares to extend underground operating hours. Reward is located in the Bathurst region of New South Wales.
The company sold 59 ounces of gold in July, with another 32 ounces available for sale at the end of the month.
Vertex notes it completed 37m of underground development and another 20m of rehabilitation during July, despite both jumbo drills being taken offline to install modified rail sets.
The update follows Bathurst Regional Council’s approval of continuous underground operations and blasting at Reward.
Vertex says it is now applying to vary its environmental protection licence (EPL) to align it with the modified development consent. The company estimates the EPL variation could take two to four weeks.
Under the previous consent, underground blasting was restricted to between 9am and 3pm, six days a week, with no firing permitted on Sundays or public holidays.
Vertex says removing the fixed blasting windows is expected to increase available working time from nine to 22 hours per day. This would allow ventilation clearance and re-entry to occur around shift changes and breaks, enabling more mining cycles without expanding the existing fleet.
The company expects the longer operating window to increase development and stope firings, build ore inventory, provide steadier feed to the processing plant, and reduce unit costs.
Executive Director of Operations Jim Simpson says restricted operating and blasting hours have been the mine’s largest constraint.
“This approval, together with the move to mechanised long-hole stoping and the arrival of the Muki booms, gives us three key elements to bring the mine into production,” Simpson says.
The modified rails fitted to Reward’s jumbo drills will allow smaller underground drives. Vertex expects this to reduce dilution by more than 20% for the same development length.
A second underground truck is also expected to become available on site in early September after fire-suppression and lagging work is completed.
Vertex fired the first panel of a trial long-hole open stope at Decline 3 in late July, with ore from the area beginning to be processed during August. Further firing is scheduled throughout the month.
The company says it is also recruiting for another 20 mining, maintenance, and technical services roles to support the introduction of a night shift, predominantly from the Bathurst region. Vertex notes that the anticipated productivity, cost, and ore supply benefits remain subject to operating outcomes and are not formal production targets.
Vertex Minerals owns 100% of the Hill End and Hargraves Gold Project in NSW and is developing Reward as an underground operation supported by gravity-based processing.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Vertex Minerals
