Intentions have been made to recommence mine development blasting at the Stawell Gold Mine this week in a big step forward for business in Stawell.
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The mine has grown from 12 employees to 45 since Arete Capital Partners acquired 100 per cent of controlling interest in the Stawell Gold Mines from Canadian-based owner, Kirkland Lake Gold, for an undisclosed amount last year.
“We’ve hired drillers, technical staff and staff for other roles,” Stawell Gold Mines general manager Troy Cole said.
Works will focus on the east flank of the mine, an area which has not previously been worked on.
The recommencement will focus on an exploration project which will see if it is worth mining the east flank of the mine.
It will also assist with their aim to strengthen their geological understanding of that area of the mine.
Northern Grampians Shire Council mayor Cr Tony Driscoll said “the exploration being undertaken at the Stawell Gold Mine is a clear positive for the community.
“Already we are seeing an increase in the number of people employed onsite which provides immediate economic benefits for the wider Northern Grampians Shire community.”
To explore the mine they will be required to use development blasting for further exploration drilling at 343 RL. Development blasting is used to construct the underground access tunnels.
Blasting breaks or fractures the rock using a calculated amount of explosive so that a predetermined volume of material is broken.
The blasting may cause some people to feel vibrations depending on the location of the blasting, the type of blasting and other variables.
The vibration is caused by the release of energy from an explosive as it is detonated.
Each hole is timed to detonate in a sequence so the vibrations can cancel each other out.
The resulting vibrations from each firing, do not continue for more than ten seconds, as the mine has strict regulations.
Stawell Gold Mines will make recommendations to their share holders in 12 months time on if it is economically viable to continue to mine.
Cr Driscoll said “longer term, we are hopeful that there is sufficient gold levels that make it a viable option for the mine to commence full operations once again.”