Craic

In May 2011 the administrators of Range River Gold Limited went ahead and placed all the company's operation on care and maintenance in an effort to preserve cash flows while working to raise capital and determine its trade sales options. The Craic gold mine was one of the operations effected. The company took this step to create a moratorium allowed under the voluntary administration rules that would give it time to re-asses its options.

Craic Gold Mine was Range Rivers Best Performer Prior to the Company Folding
In the March quarter for 2011, prior to any action being taken by Range River Gold to cease operations, the Craic Mine had produced 25 percent of the company's total monthly production Open pit mining at the Craic Mine had already ceased with the main emphasis being place of the Craic underground operation.

MMG Acquire Mount Morgans Tenements Covering 33,800 Hectares
The development of the Craic underground operation was a major plank in Range River Gold Limited's production plans going forward as the new mine was an important part of the Mount Morgans mining tenements held by Range River Gold that covered 33,800 hectares near Laverton in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.
The Mount Morgans tenements, that included the Craic gold mine, were eventually acquired by Chinese mining company MMG Mining Pty Ltd on January 31, 2012. Range River Gold Limited had suffered from under- performance of its costly open pit operations and the high cost of developing the Craic underground project.

Gold Mining at Mount Morgans Since 1896
Gold was discovered at Mount Morgans as far back as 1896 and the town of the same name is a living heritage of its proud gold mining past. The Craic underground mine promises to keep the heritage going as it has an an indicated resource of 83,000 tonnes grading at 9.9 grams of gold a tonne. A resource of 35,000 tonnes grading at 17.7 grams per tonne that recovered 19,000 ounces has already been recovered from the open pit that was mined to a depth of 95 metres. The gold was obtained by means of a 100,000 tonnes a year Gekko gravity and intense leach processing plant on site.

Successful Drilling Increases Resources at the Craic Mine
In late 2010 Range River Gold Limited defined a further high grade strike at the Craic Mine. Further drilling confirmed the mineralisation zone that stretched from the Morgans North pit to the southern end of the Craic Mine. It intersected repetitions of the Craic type of mineralisation. The Craic underground mine will provide the company with high grade gold ore by means of open stoping of the ore blocks below the Craic open pit.
In July 2010 gold production at Mount Morgans mines, that at that time consisted of the Craic, Westralia and Transvaal deposits, reached 3,298 ounces which put in on line to meet the quarterly target of 9,000 ounces. It was then given a life of mine for a further five years in which it was forecast to deliver 215,000 ounces of gold.