The ore sorter is to be the main driver for production increases Pantoro hopes to get from the operation during the coming year.

The company is aiming for production rates of 80,000 ounces to 100,000oz per annum by the end of 2018. At the moment it is producing about 55,000ozpa.

In the March quarter it produced 13,385oz, up 4oz from the 13,381 produced in the December quarter.

The processing plant continued to operate at 240,000 tonnes per annum with 56,279t processed at an average grade of 7.96 grams per tonne gold and an average recovery of 92.2%

A surface ventilation rise from surface to 130m was started at the southern end of Nicolsons during February. The rise was nearing completion at the end of the quarter.

Underground portal works were also completed at the associated Wagtail pit.

The company expects to get the necessary regulatory approvals to start underground development at Wagtail this month.

Pantoro managing director Paul Cmrlec said the operations team was clearly focused on increasing production from the Nicolsons underground mine and establishing ore supply from the soon to be developed Wagtail mine to optimise feed to the ore sorting circuit by the end of the year.