PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Junior Silver Mines has reported a maiden mineral resource of 42.9-million ounces of silver equivalent at the Bowdens underground project, in New South Wales.
The underground mineral resource estimate (MRE) resulted from 34 942 m of diamond drilling completed in 2021 and 2022.
“Since the discovery of the three zones directly under the planned openpit, the drill-out has been hugely successful. The potential for a contiguous underground operation, in addition to the planned openpit operation, has firmed significantly as we further prove this large mineral system,” said MD Anthony McClure.
“We will now move to the completion of the underground mining scoping study,” he added.
The scoping study will consider potential underground mining scenarios beneath the planned openpit development which is currently before the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment.
While yet to be determined, Silver Mines on Monday said that a concept may be for a planned underground development to commence operations in around years three or four of the openpit development to supplement plant feed with high-grade material at a rate of up to 500 000 t/y. An alternative would be for an underground development at the end of the open-cut mine life.
In addition to the underground MRE, the Bowdens project also hosts a 29.9-million-tonne opencut reserve, containing 66.32-million ounces of silver.