March 2022, CMOC-Northparkes announced the commencement of Production of the E26 Lift 1 North project five months ahead of schedule.

E26L1N is the next developed ore body after the E48 orebody and other ore bodies. As with the E48 ore body, the block caving method will be used for mining.

The development of E26L1N, which will extend the life of the mine to around 2040, has established a significant ore source ready to supply the Ore Processing Plant for the next 8–9years.

In this project, the CMOC-Northparkes team has “challenged the Impossible” and delivered an outstanding result. The L1N Project has taken 37 months from the approval on the 1st of January 2019 to the commencement of Production 1st March 2022, this is five months ahead of the feasibility plan. There were 12.7kms of development and 30.1km of electrical cable.

110,889 tonnes of shotcrete and concrete, and 590 tonnes of steel, were put into use for the project. In addition to these incredible facts, the E26L1N project also implemented the company's philosophy of “low cost and high efficiency". When compared to construct the E48 Block Cave 12 years ago, which was of a similar size and design, the Lift 1 North project has been delivered $101M cheaper.

All NPM teams could be proud of what we have delivered, you have all truly demonstrated the “One Team approach at Northparkes”.