A term we coined — a discipline we practice
Micro
Mining™
The high-precision, surgical extraction of minerals from narrow-vein underground gold structures — where selectivity replaces scale, and grade replaces volume.
Definition
Micro Mining
/ˈmaɪkrəʊ ˈmaɪnɪŋ/
noun · coined by Metabore
The practice of targeted, precision-engineered extraction of high-grade mineral ore from narrow underground vein structures — with the accuracy of surgery and a minimal surface footprint.
Micro Mining is Metabore's operating philosophy and the framework through which we approach every project. It is not a technology — it is a discipline that governs how we think about targets, design our extraction methods, and measure our environmental performance.
Why it matters
The right method for the right deposit.
High-grade narrow-vein gold systems are a distinct and exceptional class of deposit. The gold is concentrated in veins — sometimes less than a metre wide — carrying grades that make precision the only logical approach. These are not deposits measured in bulk tonnage. They are measured in the quality and continuity of the structure itself.
Micro Mining is purpose-built for this geology. By targeting the vein directly — the actual mineralised structure — we extract high-grade ore selectively, leaving the surrounding rock mass intact. The footprint is minimal. The grade is exceptional. The economics are driven by quality, not volume.
It is a method that opens up deposits and environments that would otherwise be inaccessible to conventional extraction — and it does so in a way that is technically rigorous, environmentally responsible, and commercially sound.
How it works
Precision from surface to stope.
Micro Mining is defined by a set of operating characteristics that are consistent across every project Metabore undertakes. These aren't aspirational — they are the minimum standard.
Target selection
Surface impact
Underground method
Economics
The geology
Why narrow-vein gold is different.
High-grade narrow-vein gold deposits form in orogenic gold systems — deep crustal structures where gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids travel along fault and fracture networks and precipitate gold as they cool and react with surrounding rock. The result is gold concentrated in veins, often less than a metre wide, but carrying grades that dwarf bulk ore deposits.
In New Zealand, the Otago and Alpine Schist terranes host some of the world's finest examples of this style of mineralisation. The Arrow River valley and Macetown district were among the richest gold-producing areas of the colonial era — and the geology that created them is still present, still prospective, and still accessible to those who know how to read it.
Micro Mining is specifically engineered for these settings. The vein is the orebody — and precision access is the means to unlock it.
Schematic cross-section — narrow-vein underground gold system
The principles
Six disciplines that define Micro Mining.
01 · Selectivity
Extract only what is valuable.
Every extraction decision begins with the question: does this material justify removal? We follow the vein, not a predetermined schedule. If the grade isn't there, we don't mine it.
02 · Precision
The vein is the target. Nothing else.
Underground development is designed to access and extract vein material with minimum dilution from surrounding host rock. We treat the geological model as a live document, not a one-time estimate.
03 · Footprint
Minimal surface impact by design.
All significant operations are underground. Surface infrastructure is limited to what is essential — portal, ventilation, ore processing, and personnel facilities. We design to disappear.
04 · Grade discipline
Never dilute the economics.
The commercial case for Micro Mining depends on protecting the grade. Low-grade material is waste — we treat it as such, rather than blending it in to inflate production numbers.
05 · Rehabilitation
Designed to restore, not just remediate.
Underground mines can be closed cleanly. We plan for rehabilitation from the first permit application — with defined milestones, bonds held, and outcomes measurable within a defined timeframe.
06 · Transparency
Rigorous reporting at every stage.
Investors, partners, regulators, and communities deserve accurate, timely information. We report our geology, our grades, our costs, and our environmental performance to the same standard — without exception.
Where Micro Mining applies
The right method for the right ground.
Micro Mining is not a universal solution. It is the right solution for a specific and highly valuable class of deposit — and the environments where those deposits occur.
Orogenic gold systems
The classic setting for narrow-vein high-grade gold. Formed in compressional tectonic environments — the Otago Schist, Victorian goldfields, and many historic producing districts worldwide fall into this category.
Epithermal vein deposits
Shallow-crustal, high-grade gold and silver mineralisation associated with volcanic systems. Often very high grade over narrow intervals — precisely the target profile for Micro Mining.
Historic producing mines
Many historic underground mines were abandoned when gold prices were low, not when the ore ran out. With modern geological understanding and precision methods, these represent genuine second-life opportunities.
Environmentally sensitive areas
Conservation land, river catchments, and culturally significant environments where a minimal footprint is essential. Micro Mining's targeted underground approach opens ground that requires careful, considered access.
"Micro Mining asks a different question — not how much can we extract, but how precisely can we follow the gold. That precision is what defines the method, the economics, and the environmental outcome."— Metabore, founding principle
Partner with us on a Micro Mining project.
Start the conversationA term we coined — a discipline we practice
Micro
Mining™
The high-precision, surgical extraction of minerals from narrow-vein underground gold structures — where selectivity replaces scale, and grade replaces volume.
Definition
Micro Mining
/ˈmaɪkrəʊ ˈmaɪnɪŋ/
noun · coined by Metabore
The practice of targeted, precision-engineered extraction of high-grade mineral ore from narrow underground vein structures — with the accuracy of surgery and a minimal surface footprint.
Micro Mining is Metabore's operating philosophy and the framework through which we approach every project. It is not a technology — it is a discipline that governs how we think about targets, design our extraction methods, and measure our environmental performance.
Why it matters
The right method for the right deposit.
High-grade narrow-vein gold systems are a distinct and exceptional class of deposit. The gold is concentrated in veins — sometimes less than a metre wide — carrying grades that make precision the only logical approach. These are not deposits measured in bulk tonnage. They are measured in the quality and continuity of the structure itself.
Micro Mining is purpose-built for this geology. By targeting the vein directly — the actual mineralised structure — we extract high-grade ore selectively, leaving the surrounding rock mass intact. The footprint is minimal. The grade is exceptional. The economics are driven by quality, not volume.
It is a method that opens up deposits and environments that would otherwise be inaccessible to conventional extraction — and it does so in a way that is technically rigorous, environmentally responsible, and commercially sound.
How it works
Precision from surface to stope.
Micro Mining is defined by a set of operating characteristics that are consistent across every project Metabore undertakes. These aren't aspirational — they are the minimum standard.
Target selection
Surface impact
Underground method
Economics
The geology
Why narrow-vein gold is different.
High-grade narrow-vein gold deposits form in orogenic gold systems — deep crustal structures where gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids travel along fault and fracture networks and precipitate gold as they cool and react with surrounding rock. The result is gold concentrated in veins, often less than a metre wide, but carrying grades that dwarf bulk ore deposits.
In New Zealand, the Otago and Alpine Schist terranes host some of the world's finest examples of this style of mineralisation. The Arrow River valley and Macetown district were among the richest gold-producing areas of the colonial era — and the geology that created them is still present, still prospective, and still accessible to those who know how to read it.
Micro Mining is specifically engineered for these settings. The vein is the orebody — and precision access is the means to unlock it.
Schematic cross-section — narrow-vein underground gold system
The principles
Six disciplines that define Micro Mining.
01 · Selectivity
Extract only what is valuable.
Every extraction decision begins with the question: does this material justify removal? We follow the vein, not a predetermined schedule. If the grade isn't there, we don't mine it.
02 · Precision
The vein is the target. Nothing else.
Underground development is designed to access and extract vein material with minimum dilution from surrounding host rock. We treat the geological model as a live document, not a one-time estimate.
03 · Footprint
Minimal surface impact by design.
All significant operations are underground. Surface infrastructure is limited to what is essential — portal, ventilation, ore processing, and personnel facilities. We design to disappear.
04 · Grade discipline
Never dilute the economics.
The commercial case for Micro Mining depends on protecting the grade. Low-grade material is waste — we treat it as such, rather than blending it in to inflate production numbers.
05 · Rehabilitation
Designed to restore, not just remediate.
Underground mines can be closed cleanly. We plan for rehabilitation from the first permit application — with defined milestones, bonds held, and outcomes measurable within a defined timeframe.
06 · Transparency
Rigorous reporting at every stage.
Investors, partners, regulators, and communities deserve accurate, timely information. We report our geology, our grades, our costs, and our environmental performance to the same standard — without exception.
Where Micro Mining applies
The right method for the right ground.
Micro Mining is not a universal solution. It is the right solution for a specific and highly valuable class of deposit — and the environments where those deposits occur.
Orogenic gold systems
The classic setting for narrow-vein high-grade gold. Formed in compressional tectonic environments — the Otago Schist, Victorian goldfields, and many historic producing districts worldwide fall into this category.
Epithermal vein deposits
Shallow-crustal, high-grade gold and silver mineralisation associated with volcanic systems. Often very high grade over narrow intervals — precisely the target profile for Micro Mining.
Historic producing mines
Many historic underground mines were abandoned when gold prices were low, not when the ore ran out. With modern geological understanding and precision methods, these represent genuine second-life opportunities.
Environmentally sensitive areas
Conservation land, river catchments, and culturally significant environments where a minimal footprint is essential. Micro Mining's targeted underground approach opens ground that requires careful, considered access.
"Micro Mining asks a different question — not how much can we extract, but how precisely can we follow the gold. That precision is what defines the method, the economics, and the environmental outcome."— Metabore, founding principle
Partner with us on a Micro Mining project.
Start the conversation