The Rosebery volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit is hosted within the M t. Read Volcanics, a Cambrian assemblage of lavas, volcaniclastics and sediments deposited in the Dundas Trough between the Proterozoic Rocky Cape Group and the Tyennan Block. Sulphide mineralisation occurs in stacked stratabound massive to semi-massive base metal sulphide lenses between the Rosebery Thrust Fault and the M t. Black Thrust Fault; the host lithology and the adjoining faults all dip approximately 45 degrees east. Economic Zn-Pb-Ag-Au mineralisation occurs as massive, semi massive and disseminated base metal sulphide lenses located within the Rosebery host sequence. The Rosebery mineral deposit extends from 400mE to 1800mE, 2800mN to -1100mN, 3400mRL-1800mRL (Rosebery Mine grid co-ordinates) and is currently open to the north, south and at depth. Individual lenses vary in size from a few hundred metres up to 1000m along strike and/or down-dip.

Mining production is carried out by long-hole open stoping with a Decline Access. Stoping is conducted through both longitudinal retreat and transverse methods.

Mining lenses are divided into panels and are mined using a bottom-up sequence in a continuous 45 degree retreating either towards or away from level access drives. The nature of this mining sequence causes fluctuations in the grade profile of the short-term schedules. Each stoping panels contain between 3 and 5 sub-levels with crown pillars left in-situ between the backs of up-hole stopes and the lowest sill drive of the panel above.

Backfilling of stope voids is carried out using two methods; Cemented Rock Fill (CRF) and Rock Fill (RF). Up-hole (Crown) retreat stopes are left as an open void due to lack of access for fill placement.

Average stope strike lengths of 15m were used in W and X Lens while the other lenses used 20m. The height set to 20-25m (floor to floor) and the minimum mining width of 4.5m.

Access to the orebody is through a decline 5.5 mH x 5.5 mW at a 1:7 gradient. The approximate standoff distance between orebody and stoping footwall and major infrastructure; stockpiles, vent rises, escape-ways, declines and ancillary development is 65-70m.

The primary ventilation system supplies approximately 660 m³/s (measured at depth) of air to the underground mine, which is sufficient to allow extraction from multiple ore lenses.

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