Alien Metals set to re-open dormant underground silver mine

Alien Metals announced on Thursday that, as part of the development of its Elizabeth Hill silver project, it had started work to re-open the historic underground mine.

The AIM-traded firm said it had purchased mining headframe, machinery and equipment to re-open and access the historic Elizabeth Hill silver mine after more than 20 years dormant.

It said the previous owner produced more than one million ounces of silver, with “exceptional” grades of 2,195 grams per tonne, or 70 ounces per ton.

Elizabeth Hill remained the only pure silver mine in Western Australia set to re-open, which Alien said would provide access to the unmined orebody in the workings, as well as enable detailed mapping and sampling of the orebody to better understand potential extensions.

It would also enable the company to update the silver resource directly from underground, as well as a “significant opportunity” to expedite drilling of the polymetallic mineralised halo, also from underground.

Initial assay results from the most recent drilling programme, which intersected visual silver and nickel and copper sulphide mineralisation, were expected during December.

The company said it had commissioned the original underground mining team, with the equipment currently on its way to Elizabeth Hill, with the commission to include the establishment of an on-site camp.

Initial planning for technical work, including all necessary permitting and equipment accreditation, was also underway.

“We have been very fortunate to both find and secure the services of personnel with previous experience of the Elizabeth Hill Silver Project,” said chief executive officer and technical director Bill Brodie Good.

“This local knowledge will be incredibly valuable during the re-opening work at Elizabeth Hill.

“We have purchased all the necessary equipment to support the mine reopening, along with a small but fully self-contained field camp.”

Brodie Good said that would give the company a “terrific” on-site platform to plan and carry out work across the local tenements.

“Ultimately, going back underground presents us with a fantastic opportunity to work on the remaining resource and increase our knowledge and geological understanding of the project.

“We are very excited to see the pending assay results from the last drilling programme and look forward to sharing them with the market soon as we get them.”

At 1509 GMT, shares in Alien Metals were up 2.55% at 0.69p.