Kidman Resources to resume production at Burbanks gold mine in WA

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Image credit: Kidman Resources ASX release

Kidman Resources announced that production at its Burbanks gold mine near Coolgardie in WA is set to resume following a period of successful mine development.

Image credit: Kidman Resources ASX release
Image credit: Kidman Resources ASX release

The company acquired an initial 80% interest in Burbanks in May 2015 and produced 5,742 ounces at an average grade of 2.47 g/t between September 2015 and December 2015.

Subsequently, it purchased the remaining 20% interest from Joint Venture partner Blue Tiger Mining and appointed experiences underground mining contractor Pybar to deliver operational improvements.

“Since Pybar mobilised to site, more than 240m of development has been completed and significant improvements have been made to the mine, including capital works to improve the underground infrastructure such as upgrading escapeways and increasing both primary and secondary ventilation capacity,” the company told the ASX.

Adertisement

“Improvement have also been made to the dewatering system, the electrical reticulation and power supply and to safety standard throughout the mine.”

The company also commenced planning for an improved water management system that will allow it to consider accessing “Burbanks Deeps”, an area around the historic 7 level which is 100 vertical metres below the current limit of mine workings.

Kidman said that it has designed an underground diamond drilling program to upgrade mineralisation below the 7 level so that a mine plan can be devised for accessing this part of the mine.

“Historic reports held in the public domain by the WA DMO record sampling by early miners of the 7 level. These report intervals of 76m along strike averaging 17.1 g/t with an average width of 1.1m and 30m along strike @ 18.3 g/t with an average width of 1.5m,” reads the ASX release.

“The level 7 mineralisation is believed to form part of a second deeper folded shear zone under the main mineralised shear currently being mined. Apart from the area around the 7 level, this deeper shear zone remains very poorly tested.”