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Vertex has purchased the L350D loader for production work in the Reward Mine. It will be fitted with remotes so that the machine can be operated from a remote location. This enables Vertex to undertake long hole stoping which requires the loader to operate in unsupported ground. The new L350D loader has an 8-week delivery time.
On a separate front, engineering staff have been exploring the areas of the mine above the 640 Amalgamated level. These areas are presently accessible by ladders only but will eventually be accessible by an incline ramp for access with jumbos and loaders.
Figures 3* and 4* show current faces with multiple vein exposures up to 6m in width. This represents an exciting opportunity for mining significantly wider stopes than the 1.5m wide stopes envisaged in the PFS. The inclusion of the ore sorter in the processing plant means that Vertex can reject the waste rock between the veins prior to gravity processing.
This ability to sort quartz from country rock is significant as it changes the mining economics of this style of mineralisation. (refer to VTX ASX announcement 24th September 2024) While sampling and assay of these faces remain to be completed, these exposures provide an indication that wider stope widths are possible in some areas and are likely to have a positive impact on stope productivity.
Vertex Director and Mining Engineer Declan Franzmann commented:
"The purchase of a tele-remote capable underground loader provides the flexibility to mine wider stopes using modern mining techniques. The inclusion of ore sorting in the process flow sheet provides VTX with the ability to improve the economics of mining quartz stockwork style mineralisation, which is evident at the Reward Gold Mine."
*To view tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/0VLI8BPP
About Vertex Minerals Limited:
Vertex Minerals Limited (ASX:VTX) is an Australian based gold exploration company developing its advanced Hargraves and Hill End gold projects located in the highly prospective Eastern Lachlan Fold Belt of Central West NSW. Other Company assets include the Pride of Elvire gold project and Taylors Rock gold/nickel/lithium project both located in the Eastern Goldfields of WA. The focus of Vertex Minerals is to advance the commercial production of gold from its NSW projects embracing an ethical and environmentally sustainable approach.
Source:
Vertex Minerals Limited
Contact:
Roger Jackson
Executive Chairman
Tully Richards
Technical Director
tully@vertexminerals.com.au
