A $1.2 million remotecontrolled loader remains buried under 50 tonnes of rock at Oceana Gold's Frasers underground development after a non-injury rockfall last Sunday at the East Otago Macraes site.
Six days later, against a backdrop of gold briefly hitting a record $US1000 ($NZ1225) per ounce on Thursday, Oceana is estimating it will lose 4800 ounces of gold production this quarter because of the rockfall.
The loader's remote-control operator, working via television screens 250m from the 5.5-tonne Canadian-made Toro 1400 bogger (loader), walked away unscathed from the rockfall, which happened 20 hours after the last blast in an offshoot of the main tunnel.
Oceana vice-president of New Zealand operations John Kinyon said an unsupported area of wall fell on to the loader as it was clearing ore from the cavern.
He estimated up to 50 tonnes of rock lay over and around the loader.
The extent of damage to the loader was unknown and it could take several weeks before mining resumed at that site, he said.
