Vertex Minerals has secured the environmental approval needed for continuous underground operations at its Reward Gold Mine at Hill End in New South Wales.
The company’s 18 September 2026 update says the NSW Environment Protection Authority has varied Environment Protection Licence 12008 to align with an earlier development consent modification. Underground mining can now run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with blasting subject to the licence’s vibration and noise limits.
Processing remains restricted to 6am–6pm. Vertex expects usable underground working time to increase from about nine to 22 hours a day, improving utilisation of its existing equipment. Those expectations are operational forecasts, not a production target.
The company reported 1,262 tonnes processed at 1.62 grams per tonne gold during August, with 64% recovery and 94 ounces produced. It is also progressing trial long-hole stoping, smaller development profiles and additional underground equipment.
For underground mining teams, the approval makes shift planning, ventilation clearance and coordination between development and processing particularly relevant. The announcement does not specify new vacancies or a recruitment timetable.
Image: Vertex’s Decline 3 long-hole stope diagram, from page 5 of the announcement.
Source: Vertex Minerals official operational update, 18 September 2026.