Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Thunderbox UG Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Longhole open stoping
  • Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
Backfill type ... Lock
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Thunderbox UG operation is a part of the Thunderbox & Bronzewing operations and includes the Thunderbox underground mine and Wonder underground deposit.

Mining in the Wonder underground mine commenced in November 2023.

At Wonder Underground in 2024, Northern Star Mining Services' (NSMS) business continued to deliver industry-leading development rates with high-grade development ore feed introduced into the Thunderbox mill blend in the June quarter.

The Wonder underground ramp-up will continue with the commencement of production stopping 1H FY25.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Northern Star Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Thunderbox OP and UG deposits are held by Northern Star (Thunderbox) Pty Ltd, Northern Star (SR Mining) Pty Ltd and Northern Star (Talisman) Pty Ltd, which are all wholly owned subsidiaries of Northern Star Resources Ltd.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Mesothermal

Summary:

Thunderbox deposit
Thunderbox is a mesothermal lode gold deposit located at the southern end of the Yandal greenstone belt in an area where several major shear zones converge and join with the Perseverance Fault.

The shear zone dips at 30° to 60° WSW, with the exception in the vicinity of the mineralisation, where the shear is vertical to steeply dipping. Mineralisation is hosted by strongly deformed, silicified and carbonate altered albite-quartz porphyry in the hangingwall of the shear zone. The shear juxtaposes foliated basalts and intrusive porphyries in the hangingwall against sedimentary rocks in the footwall. The zone of shearing is over 200m wide. An ultramafic unit occurs within the shear in the footwall of the deposit and is attenuated along the shear.

The main gold related hydrothermal alteration assemblage comprises quartz-ankerite-arsenopyrite-pyrrhotite-galena and gold. This assemblage has been overprinted by a retrograde chlorite-epidote-white mica-biotite-quartz and pyrite assemblage. Syn-mineralisation veins have a continuum of vein textures ranging from laminated to pseudobreccias.

Throughout the Thunderbox Deposit, elevated grades occur within southerly plunging ore shoots that are more evident in the lateral extents of the orebody. Whilst the shoots persist centrally, the gold distribution is more uniform and ubiquitous than in other areas.

Dimensions
Thunderbox mineralisation extends from 6879000mN to 6881000mN, 304000mE to 304400mE and 500 meters below surface.

The Thunderbox shear generally strikes NNW and dips 60° towards the WSW. In the vicinity of the strongest gold mineralisation the shear is vertical to steeply west dipping.

The shear and mineralisation is offset across a series of dextral, NE trending faults.

Wonder deposit
The Wonder mineralisation extends from 6863110mN to 6864350mN, and 320850mE to 322500mE and from 500mRL to -100mRL below surface. The mineralisation has a strike length of 1.4km and up to 0.5km down dip extent at Wonder North. Planned widths vary locally from 1m up to 45m, but predominantly 5-20m.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits202420232022202120202019
Gold oz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe9,542
All production numbers are expressed as metal in ore.

Operational metrics

Metrics202420232022202120202019
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe126,171 t
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe199,081 t

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 11, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 11, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 11, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 17, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 17, 2024

Aerial view:

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