Doray kicks off underground activities at Andy Well

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Doray Minerals (ASX: DRM) has commenced underground development and mining at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Andy Well gold project in the northern Murchison region of Western Australia.

The company blasted the first portal trim on 26 April and has since advanced the decline approximately 16 metres underground.

 

Portal and underground development. Source: Company announcement

 

“The completion of the open pit and transition to underground mining is another significant milestone for Doray, again met on schedule, and is the beginning of a new phase for the company,” Doray Minerals managing director Allan Kelly said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“While the open pit mining has been exciting in itself, within the next month or so, we will commence mining the high-grade Wilber Lode from underground and this makes up the bulk of the deposit

“Importantly, we are still well on track for the first gold production from Andy Well to occur in the September Quarter.”

Doray explained it would initially develop the decline down to the ‘1415 level’, which is approximately 65metres below surface and 25m below the bottom of the open pit.

From here the first cross cut will be developed to access the high-grade Wilber Lode from underground.

As it did with the Stage 1 open pit, Doary will stockpile ore from underground for future treatment once the processing plant is commissioned, which is anticipated to occur in the September Quarter.

Doray said construction of the processing plant and other site infrastructure is progressing on schedule, with first gold production forecast to follow commissioning of the processing plant in the September Quarter.

The company indicate it has been advised its ball mill has arrived in Fremantle and will be transferred to site within the next week.