Efemçukuru mine employs small-scale underground mechanized mining methods to exploit the narrow, high- grade, subvertical mineralization.
Efemçukuru is an epithermal gold deposit comprising two major veins, Kestane Beleni and Kokarpinar, with Kestane Beleni containing the bulk of the ore. Both veins strike north-westerly (320°–340°), dip 60°E to 70°E, and can be traced on surface for strike lengths of over a kilometre.
The mine design has been developed to allow flexible access to all of the shoots. Four spiral footwall ramps at each orebody provide access for moving men, equipment, and supplies underground. Advantages of the four-ramp system include increased stope availability, more robust ventilation with increased equipment and labour productivity. All declines are interconnected by link drives, which serve as a secondary egress from the mine, spaced vertically 80–100 m apart.
Ore is truck hauled to a central ore pass system above the underground crusher before being conveyed to surface via a 380 m belt conveyor. The orepass system provides 3,500 tonne surge capacity for underground production with a further 5,000 tonne capacity in bins on surface. Waste
rock is hauled to surface via the South 672 Portal or North 656 Portal.
Drift & Fill (DAF) is the primary stoping method used for widths between 2 m and 8 m. This method allows selective recovery of ore within the orebody. LHOS is used where the ground conditions are am ........
