Sydney based aspiring near term gold producer Ark Mines has commenced definition drilling at Mt. Porter South after receiving Mining Management Plan Approval from the Northern Territory Department of Mines and Energy.
The drilling program includes 84 shallow infill holes to fully define the extent of the Mt. Porter South ore body and also involves drilling and establishing two water monitoring bores.
According to Ark, the program will assist and facilitate pit design down to the base of oxidation, sampling for metallurgy and waste management, a ground water study, and preparation of a Mine Management Plan (MMP) submission to mine Mt. Porter South.
The company told the ASX that it expects mining of oxide ore to commence at Mt. Porter South directly after mining the Mt. Porter Central oxide.
“Ark Mines aims to commence mining at Mt. Porter Central at the end of the 2016/2017 wet season and plans to submit the Mt. Porter South MMP for oxide mining early in 2017,” reads the ASX release.
“Following oxide mining at Mt. Porter Central and then Mt. Porter South, Ark will either mine the sulphide material and Mt. Porter Central and/or mine Mt. Porter North oxide material, if drilling in that location supports viability.”
The company also said that it will be investigating the potential of mining sulphide material along the Mt. porter Central and North anticline by underground methods.
