The ore is being extracted on a test basis. During the test period ore will be drawn from each of the 165 drawbells in PC2 with Newcrest closely monitoring the cave response with the cave seismic monitoring system.

It is expected to be between two and four weeks before Newcrest is in a position to confirm normal operations for PC2.

Both PC2 crushers and the conveyor system have been tested and are operational.

The cost of the remediation and upgrade work needed for the restart is estimated to be $25 million.

The Cadia East copper-gold mine was placed under a prohibition notice by the New South Wales regulator following the April 14 seismic event.

That prohibition notice has been lifted providing Newcrest adheres to the remediation and restart plans for Panel Cave 1 and PC2  it supplied to the regulator.

Remediation and upgrade work continues on the PC1 extraction level and crusher chamber. Those works are expected to be completed in the first quarter of the 2017-18 financial year.

Testing of the PC1 crusher and material handling systems has been completed and they have been confirmed as operational.

The Ridgeway sub-level cave has been recommissioned and is producing about 6000t of ore a day.

A combination of Ridgeway ore and low grade Cadia Hill stockpiles will continue to feed the processing plant until PC1 and PC2 return to full ore production.

Newcrest managing director and CEO Sandeep Biswas said the Cadia team and its business partners had done an excellent job during the remediation and upgrade process.