PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Underground mine and ore haulage has restarted at copper/gold miner Sandfire Resources’ Conductor 1 and DeGrussa orebodies at its DeGrussa operation, in Western Australia.
Mining activities in the Conductor 1 and DeGrussa orebodies were temporarily put on hold in November owing to increased water flows. The miner also suspended the development of the Conductor 4/5 decline at the DeGrussa mine for the same reason.
The increased water flows occurred at the location of underground drill holes, which had been completed as part of a long-term water management programme for the underground mine at DeGrussa.
Sandfire said on Tuesday that flow rates from the underground drill holes had been reduced with the installation of standpipes, valves and plugs to control water inflows. Remaining water inflow was being pumped directly from the localised section of the decline to the surface.
In conjunction with ongoing hydrological and geotechnical review, the company continued to work to permanently reduce water inflows into the area as part of the long-term water management programme from the underground mine.
Development activities at the Conductor 4/5 decline remained scheduled to restart around the end of the December quarter.