New Talisman has announced progress on refurbishment of the mine workings on Mount Karangahake has now reached the 540m mark inside the No 8 level Drive, and access to the Mystery vein is now possible.

A 200kg sample of vein material, to be used in metallurgical test work for the underground concentrator plant, has been taken from the face of the Mystery Vein Drive.

Inside the level 8 adit, reconstruction of the underground bridge, which will allow vehicle movements over the old stopes, is now all but complete. The historic support that was constricting the drive has been dismantled and replaced with rock anchors and mesh. This has significantly widened the drive and there is now sufficient space for the mini loader to pass safely through the area.

The bridge itself, which traverses an old stope, has been dismantled and the void below backfilled with waste rock. A reinforced concrete capping is now being constructed over the top which increases the available height over the bridge.

Around 70 tonnes of waste material has been drained from an old interlevel travelling way, which is now empty. The surrounding timber chute structure has been removed and permanent support installed.

Sealing off the old shaft bank area is in progress and a ventilation stopping is under construction to prevent air being drawn through the old stoped out areas beyond the shaft and manage the flow of ventilation.

Geological conditions have required the installation of 1.5m and 2m, fully encapsulated rock bolts to address jointing and fractures in the area.

New Talisman chief executive Matthew Hill says this work is progressing well.

'The team is currently ahead of timelines and have made excellent progress to refurbish and open up the mine. We are through to the Mystery vein, where previous samples were in excess of 50gt gold and is targeted for first blasting and extraction.

'Ventilation is now being installed which will allow the team to increase vehicle activity in the mine as we push through to the high grade Dubbo area and accelerate prospecting activity prior to bulk sampling commencing.”