• First production firing achieved from trial longhole open stope at Reward Gold Mine
• High-grade quartz with visible gold reported from initial production screening
• Transitioning to narrow mining to reduce dilution and improve productivity

Vertex Minerals Limited (ASX: VTX) has announced the commencement of stope mining at its Reward Gold Mine, marking a pivotal moment in its mining strategy. The company has achieved the first production firing from a trial longhole open stope at Decline 3, targeting the high-grade Mica 1 lens. This trial stope, developed on the Mica 1 lens, comprises an 8m airleg slot rise with the first longhole rings successfully fired. The stope has been designed to a mining width of approximately 1.2m, aiming to reduce dilution and improve productivity. Initial production screening of ore from the trial stope has returned high-grade quartz with visible gold, consistent with the Company's expectations for the Mica 1 lens. Diluted head grade to the plant from the 1,200-tonne stope is expected to be approximately 8g/t Au. This trial forms an important step in Vertex's strategy to transition progressively from airleg to mechanised longhole open stope mining as the mine matures and additional levels are established below Decline 3.