The Project will be mined by open pit mining methods using conventional mining equipment. The final pit design is based on the Ore Reserve. The selected mining method, design and extraction sequence are tailored to suit orebody characteristics, minimise dilution and ore loss, defer waste movement, minimise rates of vertical mining advance, utilise planned processing plant capacity and expedite free cash generation – all in a safe manner.
The open pit scheduling is based on realistic mining productivity, with readily achievable mining rates and consistent material movements. The mining operating costs are based on contractors' budgeted quotes for drilling, blasting, loading and haulage, and were reviewed using first principles.
Whittle open pit optimisations were completed using the resource model created by Ausgold. The model was built with block dimensions approximating an SMU of 2.5 m by 2.5 m by 2.5 m and therefore includes sufficient dilution and ore loss for this level of study.
Pit optimisation, excluding Inferred Mineral Resource material and applying a 0.6 g/t Au cut-off grade, produced a pit shell containing 36.5 Mt of mill feed at an average grade of 1.30 g/t Au.
Pit shell selection considered both the overall project value and the current design capacity of the tailings storage facility (TSF). Based on this, the 0.85 revenue factor (RF=0.85) pit shell was selected for the pit design; however, the larger RF=1 pit shel ........
