UNDERGROUND operations have recommenced at Newcrest’s Cadia Valley Operations [CVO] site as the mining giant moves forward with its plans to use the disused open-cut pit as a alternative site to house tailings.
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The company announced on Tuesday morning staff will immediately return to work underground, extracting ore to be stockpiled on the surface.
Processing operations will not restart until a site to store tailings – the waste created after gold and copper is extracted from the ore – is approved.
Work has been suspended at CVO since March 9, when the wall separating the mine’s two tailings dams partially collapsed.
CVO general manager Peter Sharpe said about 50 per cent of the mining fleet would return to work in the next four days, with all remaining staff returning to work within 10 days.
He said all employees had been consulted with to alleviate any safety concerns.
“We’ve taken them through in detail the reasons why we believe we can start safely,” Mr Sharpe said.
Employees have received full pay while operations have been suspended.
“Two weeks ago we did not know what the impact was going to be. What we didn’t want was to create anxiety among our employees,” Mr Sharpe said.
The dam wall collapse came less than a day after two small earthquakes were registered close to the site. Mr Sharpe said the investigation into the collapse is ongoing but Newcrest was satisfied the failure is not a seismic event
