Regionally, the Dalgaranga project lies in the Archean aged Dalgaranga Greenstone Belt in the Murchison Province of Western Australia.

At the Gilbey’s deposit, most gold mineralisation is associated with shears situated within biotite-sericite-carbonate pyrite altered schists with quartz-carbonate veining within a porphyry-shale-mafic (dolerite, gabbro, basalt) rock package (Gilbey’s Main Porphyry Zone and Sly Fox). The Gilbey’s Main Porphyry Zone trends north – south and dips moderately-to-steeply to the west on local grid while Sly Fox trends east – west and dips steeply to the north. These two trends define the orientation of the limbs of an anticlinal structure, with a highly disrupted area being evident in the hinge zone.

At the Sly Fox deposit gold mineralisation occurs in quartz veined and silica, pyrite, biotite altered schists.

The Plymouth deposit lies between Gilbey’s and Sly Fox within the hinge zone of anticlinal structure – mineralisation at Plymouth is related to quartz veins and silica, pyrite, biotite altered schists.

At Hendricks and Vickers gold mineralisation occurs in quartz-pyrite veined and altered zones hosted in basalts.

The Never Never deposit at Gilbey’s North appears to be an intersection between a significant mineralised structure and the mine sequence – the lode plunges moderately to the west and is characterised by strong quartz – sericite – fucite alteration, with fine to very fine pyrite ........

The mining method adopted at Dalgaranga is open pit mining, using conventional truck and excavator mining. The ore is near surface and is generally described as medium grade.

Mining consists of drill and blast, load and haul with 5m to 10m flitches and 20m batters between benches. Mining is carried out by an experienced mining contractor.

The development of the Gilbey’s pit wall included 3 stages of cut-back, with stage 3 being the final (ultimate) pit. The proposed ultimate pit measures approximately 1,560 metres in length by 680 metres wide, extending vertically to a level of 130 metres reduced level (“RL”), and a maximum depth of approximately 290 metres below surface. The east wall of the proposed pit design contains the majority of final ramp access. The proposed development of the Golden Wings pit measures approximately 500 metres in length by 300 metres wide, extending vertically to a level of 300 metres RL, and a maximum depth of approximately 140 metres below surface.

Open pit mining is currently underway at Dalgaranga Gilbey’s Complex Deposits. The existing LOM plan calls for the continuation of open pit mining to access and extract the remaining portion of the more continuous Gilbey’s Main Porphyry Zone contained in the current cut-back and to advance the Plymouth pit to completion.

Mining consists of drill and blast, then load and haul with conventional excavator and dump truck using 5m to 10m flitches and 20m batters b ........

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