Vast Resources PLC (AIM:VAST) has taken delivery of its second Mantis CMR4 production drilling rig at the Baita Plai polymetallic mine in Romania.
The rigs will increase drilling by up to 3.5 times with a reduction of labour at the drilling face, allowing additional faces to be worked.
The second Mantis drill rig will be deployed during the course of this week to develop infrastructure from below 18 level on the Antonio Skarn, to a planned 21 level elevation for commencement of the new decline in the first week of the third quarter of 2022.
With the two new Mantis drills on-site and the transition to mechanised mining, together with the implementation of long hole stope mining, significantly increased production output is expected from the end of the second quarter of 2022 onwards.
“We now have our second Mantis rig on site at Baita Plai, which is a critical piece of equipment to support the rapid increase in production expected through the implementation of long hole stope mining,” said Andrew Prelea, chief executive of Vast Resources PLC (AIM:VAST).
“This rig is being deployed on 18 level during the course of this week and, together with the other operational developments that are being introduced over the coming weeks, we expect to see a significant improvement in our production profile from the end of the current quarter onwards.”