The Australasian Tunnelling Society (ATS) is a technical society that aims to advance the knowledge of the Australasian Tunnelling Industry through areas of design, construction and utilisation of underground space, including technical aspects, health and safety, and ecologically sustainable development. The ATS is jointly sponsored by Engineers Australia (EA) and the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).

Avoca to develop underground mine in WA PDF Print E-mail

Avoca Resources Ltd says it will develop a second underground gold mine at its Higginsville project in Western Australia.

Avoca said it had a new reserve estimate for the Chalice deposit at Higginsville of 720,000 tonnes, grading 5.1 grams per tonne (g/t) and containing 118,000 ounces of gold.
"The new Chalice underground reserve will allow Avoca to develop its second underground gold mine at Higginsville and will be the third mining reserve after Trident and the Fairplay open pit reserve," Avoca said.
The miner estimates underground development will commence mid-2010 following the dewatering of the Chalice open pit.
Capital costs are estimated to be $42 million although Avoca is looking into potential savings of $3 million using pit-dewatering options.
It plans to produce 57,000 ounces at 5.5 g/t in 2011/12, 44,000 ounces at 5.5 g/t the following financial year and 17,000 ounces at 3.8 g/t in 2013/14.
Avoca managing director Rohan Williams said the advancement of the Chalice deposit would help the miner to achieve its goal of a more than 10-year mine life for the Higginsville project.

 
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