Imperial Metals, partnered with Newcrest in the Red Chris mine, reported that the exploration decline to access the block cave area had advanced to 393 meters as of October 20. Mining of the block cave is expected to begin in 2026. In the meantime, the exploration decline is intended to provide access to higher grade zones that would be mined by conventional underground mining. It is clear that Newcrest wants this expansion to move ahead quickly.
