Sills are driven on 15 m (sublevel) spacing approximately 4 m high;
• Longhole stopes (panels) are drilled using parallel or fan drill holes between
the sublevels (approximately 11 m);
• A slot is drilled and blasted first to create a void to shoot to if one does not
exist;
• Multiple rings are blasted into the void (exact number of rings blasted is
dependent on production requirements and regulations);
• Stopes are filled with waste rock backfill as production advances, typically
leaving only 20 m of void to reduce dilution and hanging wall failure;
• The production cycle is repeated until the level is completed;
• Temporary sill pillars are left between mining fronts;