Vivien is a typical orogenic structurally controlled Archaean gold lode system.

Mineralisation occurs within a high-grade quartz vein, hosted by a dolerite-gabbro unit. The veins trend 028° magnetic and dips steeply (70°) to the SE. The quartz vein/lode averages 2.7m width and has significant strike and dip continuity (˜500m). The high-grade zones are generally wider and sulphide rich, with pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite being the dominant sulphide species. Mineralisation is related to a secondary phase of quartz veining with associated sulphide mineralisation.

Vivien is a high-grade quartz lode deposit, located near Leinster. Mining commenced in 2015 and Vivien has been a steady contributor with ore trucked to the Mt Magnet mill.

UG deposit Vivien is mined by conventional sub-level open stoping methods and a conventional, narrow, top-down, long hole stoping method, with partial backfilling.

Developments during the 2021 financial year included identification of economic ore in the parallel East Lode (hanging wall) vein structure and re-modelling of oxide remnant resource above the underground, potentially leading to a pit cutback at the end of the mine life.

Whilst the current mine plan for Vivien continues production for the entire 2022 financial year an extensional underground drilling program has commenced with the aim to add additional resources at depth on the Main Lode and East Lode.

RUC is engaged at the Vivien Underground mine as the full mine service contractor for production and development. RUC has assisted Ramelius (the Client) to progress the mine with an additional eight production levels completed. RUC has been successful to mine to new depths at Vivien with operational professionalism that was also delivered safe as ever.

Mining operations include:

- Capital and Operational development and ground support;
- Production Drill and Blast;
- All material handling to surface;
- Cemented Rock Fill (CRF) & Backfill;
- Operation and maintenance of all pumping and dewatering facilities.

The high grade Vivien underground ore is processed through the Mt Magnet processing plant.

The Mt Magnet processing plant is a conventional CIL/CIP gold plant with single stage crushing, primary SAG milling in closed-circuit with a pebble crusher, and secondary closed-circuit ball milling. A centrifugal style gravity gold recovery circuit operates on a portion of the secondary milling product hydrocyclone underflow. Gravity gold concentrate is intensively leached. Cyanide leaching on the classified mill product is undertaken through two large, agitated leach tanks, two large, agitated adsorption tanks and three (of six) older Pachuca style (air agitated) adsorption tanks. Leach kinetics are improved through the addition of oxygen through the first leach tank stages of the circuit. Gold is eluted from the loaded activated carbon, it is then electrowon, calcined and smelted into gold doré as is standard practice.