July 14, 2025
Delivering Full Cave Visibility at the Northparkes Operations
Evolution Mining and the Northparkes team are leveraging high-resolution, muon-powered subsurface modeling and monitoring to better understand the evolving E26L1N cave back, muck pile, and potential air gaps.
Northparkes Operations
PROJECT
Parkes, New South Wales, Australia
LOCATION
Conventional open pit and underground
MINING METHOD
Porphyry-hosted stockwork quartz-sulphide veins
DEPOSIT TYPE
Located 27 km northwest of Parkes in New South Wales, Australia, Northparkes is an established long-life copper-gold asset with a long history of ore reserve replenishment and growth. Operations commenced in 1994, with Northparkes being the first Australian project to use the highly-efficient block cave mining method.
In 2015, the E48 Lift 1 Block Cave Mine became the world’s first most automated underground mine, signaling Northparkes’ industry-leading adoption of innovative technology to deliver copper and gold safety and with higher production rates.
Current production is focused on the E26 sub level cave on the south side of the property. The Feasibility Study for E26 Lift 1 North (E26L1N) identified a potential 417 Mt of low-grade copper and gold ore that could be extracted by block caving, and development of the extension began in 2019.
“Knowing the cave shape — where the muck pile, cave back, and air gap are located — is incredibly valuable. The information informs our draw strategy, safety and cave management plans, and performance expectations.
Ideon has successfully delivered the full cave visibility that I’ve been seeking for the past 30 years.”
Discover the outcomes at Northparkes
Download the full case study for detailed content and analysis at the Northparkes imaging program.
