Bellevue Gold begins Tribune underground decline development, successful dewatering & ventilation upgrade

Bellevue Gold Limited (ASX: BGL) reports that the underground decline development has started at the Tribune portal, established in August this year, with the aim of providing a second independent mine access route.

The Tribune decline, which will be the sixth independent mining area, is being developed by an additional fifth jumbo and is expected to access ore from the Tribune lode in the December 2024 quarter. The new jumbo is a fully-electrified Sandvik 422iE battery electric vehicle.

Bellevue Gold managing director and chief executive Darren Stralow says these key works are part of the company’s plan to increase production to 250,000oz a year.

“The commencement of the Tribune is important as it not only provides an additional mining area and haulage decline, but it also creates the platform for commencement of the Southern drill to drive to target mine life extensions,” he said.

The Southern drill drive will allow drill testing of the main down plunge extents of the Bellevue lode system.

The underground primary ventilation upgrade has been installed and is due to be commissioned commencing September 18. Bellevue Gold’s aim is to increase underground vent flows by an initial 50% and ultimately provide fit-for-purpose vent fans suitable for the life of mine.

Dewatering of old workings have also allowed for the removal of the safety exclusion zone from the historic underground, enabling mining of the high-grade development and stoping in the Armand mining area.

“The key infrastructure upgrades are a core part of the Bellevue growth plan and will unlock the ability to achieve the mining rates required for increased production,” Mr Stralow said.

“We are already seeing the benefits of increased ventilation and work areas in our underground mining rates, and the successful dewatering of the old workings unlocks high grade ore to mine in the upcoming quarters that was previously inaccessible.”

Bellevue Gold expects underground development rates to increase in H1 FY25, with production expected in H2 as further development headings and underground advance rates ramp up to a forecast run rate of 1.35mtpa by the end of CY25.