Galantas Gold Corporation (LON:GAL CVE:GAL) says the underground development of its Omagh mine is going well, with the development tunnel advanced by approximately 47m from the underground portal.
The Ulster-based miner said plans are in hand to increase the blasting frequency, while a narrow vein of gold shooting off from the Kearney system has also been intercepted as expected.
The tunnel intersection shows the mineralisation over a true width of a minimum of 0.5m.
READ:Galantas Gold expecting progress to accelerate at Omagh mine
Grade samples have been taken. This vein has potential to provide a limited quantity of mineralised material for processing, while the remainder of development required to access the main Kearney veins is progressed.
Having reached the first development milestone, the permanent ground support tunnel lining is to be installed.
Shotcrete will be sprayed over the existing mesh and rockbolt ground support on a campaign basis until in-cycle shotcreting is possible.
After the permanent ground support has been installed, it is anticipated that the enhanced blasting arrangements noted above will accelerate the rate of tunnelling advance.
Roland Phelps, Galantas’s chief executive, said: “I am delighted to announce that arrangements are being put in hand to increase the rate of progress and with this the hiring of some additional personnel. This will take the number of persons employed at the operation to around 27."