The Zinkgruvan deposit comprises a stratiform, massive zinc-lead deposit hosted by K-rich metatuffites with intercalated beds of marble, dolomite and fine grained quartzite. A zone of stratified disseminated pyrrhotite mineralisation occurs 100m stratigraphically above the zinc-lead mineralisation while in the central part of the deposit the zinc-lead mineralisation is stratigraphically underlain by a substratiform copper stockwork.

The deposit exhibits distinctive stratification and extends for more than 5km along strike and to depths of 1,600m. Deformation during the Svecofennian orogeny included isoclinal folding which has resulted in the stratigraphy of the area being overturned. The property geology is also divided into two distinct areas by the regional northnortheast to south-southwest trending Knalla fault. These areas, which make up the Zinkgruvan deposit, are known as Nygruvan area and Knalla area. The Nygruvan area is bounded to the east by the Sinsberg fault beyond which felsic metavolcanics and early orogenic granites are encountered. The Knalla area is bounded to the west by the Dalby fault beyond which post-orogenic granites are encountered.

The Nygruvan and Knalla areas of the Zinkgruvan deposit are located on both flanks of a synclinal structure and separated by the Knalla fault. The Nygruvan area is located to the east of the Knalla fault and provided the majority of the historical production at Zinkgruvan. The Nygruvan area strikes ge ........

Mine access is currently via three shafts, with the principal P2 shaft providing ore and waste rock hoisting as well as labour access to the -800m and -850m levels. The “daylight” ramp connects the surface and the underground working the “western areas”, providing direct vehicle access from surface to the mine. A system of further ramps is employed to access and hence exploit mineral reserve below the shaft. The mine is highly mechanised, utilising the best available technologies to control operations. Longhole panel and sub level bench stoping are emloyed throughout the mine. All stopes are backfilled with either cemented paste tailings or waste rock. Mining has currently reached the -1,250m level.

There are four excavation or stoping methods utilised at the Zinkgruvan mine, transverse bench and fill, sub level open stoping (“SLOS”) mining, a modified Avoca mining method and underhand bench and fill (in this case the term underhand refers to the mining sequence not stope drilling orientation).

Transverse Bench and Fill (Panel Mining)
In the Burkland zone, long hole transverse bench and fill stoping (locally known as panel mining) is used with a sequence of primary and secondary stopes. Stope dimensions are nominally 20m high by 30m wide for the primary stopes and 20m wide for the secondary stopes. Stope access is typically developed in the footwall from the ramp system with this development at 5m x 5m size. Stope accesses are developed on the upper ........

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