Cassini is located on the southern section of the Widgiemooltha Dome. The geology of the Widgiemooltha Dome and the area to the south consists of a thrust repeated sequence of basic ultramafic extrusive and intrusives, with intercalated sediments and acid volcanics with nickel sulphide orebodies found at the base of the ultramafic sequence.

The Cassini orebody as interpreted in the Mineral Resource is split into eight lodes, labelled CS2-CS9. From a mining perspective, the Mineral Resource has been delineated into two main areas based on spatial characteristics. These mining areas have been named by the dominant lode (CS2 or CS4).

The CS2 Area (CS2, CS3, CS6, CS7 and portion of CS5 lodes) consists of east-west trending parallel lodes, mainly offset, dipping at ~45° to the south with thickness from ~1m to ~7m, averaging 3m. The CS2 Area extends from ~260mRL (approx. 50mbs) to ~-240mRL (480m vertical extent). Grades and orebody thickness are inconsistent above ~75mRL.

The CS4 Area (CS4, CS8, CS9 and portion of CS5 Lodes) consists of parallel lodes striking northwest/southeast at ~125° and dipping at ~75-80° to the southwest. Average widths for the CS4, upper CS5 and CS9 lodes are 2-3m, with the CS5 lode thickening to 5-7m and up to 11m in parts below ~-250mRL (grades in this area also increase). The area extends from ~100mRL to -380mRL. Grades and thickness are inconsistent above ~10mRL.

The Cassini mine will be accessed via a new box-cut and portal. The stope optimisation process showed that the economic portion of the Cassini orebody (commences from 250m below surface). Based on geotechnical analysis and the results of geotechnical drilling, the box-cut has been located ~700m to the south of the orebody where near-surface ground conditions are more favourable.

A twin decline system will be developed from the box-cut zone to the production zone, with access and return air declines excavated in parallel, allowing primary ventilation to be established early in the mine life. Ventilation and secondary egress will be via a raise system developed from the ventilation decline to the box-cut

Based on the orebody spatial and geotechnical characteristics, the primary mining method proposed is bottom-up longitudinal longhole stoping (LHS) with modified Avoca assuming cemented rockfill (CRF). This mining method requires minimal capital development and provides void support for dilution mitigation. Vertical sub-level intervals are 15m floor-to-floor, allowing good drill and blast control. Areas with no top access (i.e. crown stopes or levels directly beneath sill pillars) will be mined using conventional longhole open stoping, retaining in-situ pillars for support. Maximum open stope strike lengths of 30m have been applied based on geotechnical studies. Slots to open stoping spans have been designed assuming handheld development methods. Subsequent ........

Ore mined from operation will be trucked to the surface and stockpiled at the KNC (Kambalda Nickel Concentrator). A front-end loader will then be used to transport ore from the surface stockpile at the KNC into the ROM bin to feed the mill at a predetermined blending mix. The KNC design was based on a conventional sulphide processing route using traditional grinding and flotation technology to produce saleable nickel-copper-cobalt concentrate.