MINERAL DEPOSITS BEING INVESTIGATED
The Galaxy Gold Mine targets gold mineralisation of the Archaean BGB, which is world-renowned for its gold content. Gold mineralisation generally occurs as shear-hosted, mesothermal deposits hosted within various lithologies of the Barberton Supergroup, with mines largely located in close proximity to major regional faults, such as the Sheba, Lily and Barbrook faults (Anhaeusser, 2012).

As per Anhaeusser (2012), the gold deposits of the BGB can be subdivided into three main types:
1. Sulphide ore that is unoxidized and complex. This ore accounts for the majority of production in the area to date;
2. Gold-bearing quartz veins and shears. These ores contain negligible amounts of sulphides minerals, but are common throughout the area; and
3. Weathered ore that occurs in oxidized zones. This ore historically represented the main gold source.

The deposits are associated with multi-episodic structural influences amplified by granite emplacement, causing greenschist to amphibolite grade metamorphism. Auriferous fluids migrated into brittle-ductile fractures and shear zones, pronounced in deformed Fig Tree and Moodies sediments along the north-western flank of the BGB associated with the Ulundi and Eureka synclines (Anhaeusser, 2012).

MINERALISATION
Mineralisation in the area is structurally controlled, with gold mineralisation appearing to be controlled by subtle secondary stru ........

The Galaxy Gold Mine will make use of two different mining methods. The Galaxy and Princeton orebodies will be mined using a fully mechanised cut-and-fill mining method while the Woodbine and Giles orebodies will be mined using a conventional underhand mining method. The mining methods described below aim to minimise dilution and optimise concentrate grade for the run of mine mix at the specified production rates.

MECHANISED CUT-AND-FILL MINING
Mechanised cut-and-fill mining is a mining method commonly used in mining steeply dipping, irregular orebodies. To access the stope, a decline (spiral) is developed on the side of the orebody. Access crosscuts are developed from the spiral at specific intervals. A cut is made at the intersection of the access crosscut and the orebody. Stopes are mined in consecutive cuts, from the bottom up. Mining commences with creating a first horizontal slice along a specified strike length of the orebody in both directions. Upon completion of the first cut, the access crosscut is slyped, and the mined-out area is backfilled to provide access to the next slice. This sequence is followed until the vertical limit of the stope is reached. Figure 67 illustrates a typical cut-and-fill mining method.

CONVENTIONAL UNDERHAND MINING
This mining method implies that the block of ore is mined from an upper level to the level below (see Figure 68). Underhand stoping is particularly suitable for steeply dipping, narrow orebo ........

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