EQ Resources has launched a new diamond drilling campaign to upgrade the open pit and underground mining resource at its Mount Carbine tungsten operation.

The first stage of the 2022 drilling program comprises a six-hole drill campaign as a follow up to the successful resource definition program last year.

Previous drill results formed the basis for the company’s bankable feasibility study (released in December), demonstrating sound economics for the planned Mount Carbine expansion.

The plans will see EQ Resources begin open-pit mining at Mount Carbine as well as ramping up of operations to extract tungsten from the site’s 12M-tonne low-grade ore stockpile.

The company said it was bringing forward its drilling plans to test the potential to extend open pit mining and to examine underground mining options after Year 4 of the development plan set out in the BFS.

The targets include the sparsely drilled Iron Duke formation, which is considered a near-term underground development target.

Related: Bumper output as Mount Carbine ramp-up continues

“The positive progress on the early works for our processing upgrade and the strong global market for tungsten concentrates has encouraged our Board to look further into the future for mine planning,” chief executive officer Kevin MacNeill said.

“The feasibility study really only looked at mining around 15 per cent of the total resource at Mount Carbine.

“This drill program is designed to extend the resource and get a better understanding of the geology around the high-grade Blossom Zone.

“Mount Carbine is an amazing resource. Our geologists are continuing to learn more as we run our ground geophysics near the mine and even further out into our exploration tenement.

“If successful, this drilling could delineate ore resource for expansion beyond the current three-year open cut design.”