Integra Mining to start underground gold mining trials at Cock-eyed Bob

Integra Mining (ASX: IGR) is set to commence trial underground mining at the Cock-eyed Bob gold deposit immediately, after receiving all regulatory and board approvals.

The trial aims to demonstrate the potential for long-term production from underground sources at the Randalls Gold Project.

If trial mining is successful, underground mining will continue to the next level at Cock-eyed Bob, and underground development will begin at the Santa gold deposit.

Underground development is also planned at the Maxwells gold deposit once open pit mining operations are completed.

Integra has identified a total JORC Resource for underground operations at Randalls of 3.2 million tonnes at 5.7 grams per tonne (g/t) gold for total contained gold of 580,000 ounces.

Promisingly, all deposits are open along strike and at depth.

All three deposits have been drilled to a vertical depth of 300-400 metres, with indications that high grade gold mineralisation continues at depth.

Due to the prohibitive expense of further drilling from surface, Integra believes underground mining and mapping will provide greater definition of the geologically and structurally controlled high grade gold zones and the distribution of extreme high grades noticed in surface drilling.

Integra is aiming to develop underground operations at the three deposits to provide 50% of the process facility feed at Randalls.

This production would be blended with open pit production ore and stockpiled ore to maintain a 3-4g/t gold head grade, effectively doubling the life of the remaining open pit ore reserves.

Integra is targeting a 10 year mine life at Randalls without further discovery.

Originally published at: http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/24028/integra-mining-to-start-underground-gold-mining-trials-at-cock-eyed-bob-24028.html