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09/11/2026
We have blasted the first of three new underground portals at Kathleen Valley, a major milestone for our expansion and a key step towards lifting production by mining two orebodies concurrently.
The new portals provide access to the Kathleen’s Corner underground from the open pit. Once all three are complete, Kathleen Valley will have nine portals in total.
The first new portal is dedicated to ventilation. Good airflow is fundamental to working safely underground. It brings fresh air to our people and equipment and keeps the working environment clear as development extends deeper into the orebody. Establishing ventilation from the outset sets up Kathleen’s Corner for safe and efficient production.
Underground Manager Holly Keenan said the blast was a major milestone for the expansion.
“Today we blasted the first of our three new portals in Kathleen’s Corner pit,” Holly said. “Our three new portals help us unlock the orebody, bringing our total number of portals to nine, helping us reach Kathleen Valley’s full potential.”
Developing portals from Kathleen’s Corner means we can reach key stoping areas (the excavations where ore is extracted) sooner. That allows us to mine the Kathleen’s Corner and Mt Mann orebodies concurrently.
“This is a critical step in increasing production and a key moment in that journey,” Holly shared.
In the lead-up to cutting the portal, the team installed a temporary power station, two surface substations, and air, water and communications supplies at the pit. Each orebody is designed to operate independently, with its own infrastructure and multiple access points. This gives the operations more flexibility.
By accessing the Kathleen’s Corner underground from the existing open pit, we have reduced underground development by approximately 45,000m compared with the previous mine design.
With the first Kathleen’s Corner portal cut, its development will follow, alongside preparations for the remaining two new portals and ongoing operations in the Mt Mann underground. We will share more as the expansion progresses.