The first Australian mine tunnels to be excavated using a full face tunnel boring machine were started in July 1974 at Queenstown, Tasmania. The tunnels forme~ a major part of the underground expansion of the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Co. Ltd.'s Prince Lyell and Cape Horn mines._x000D_
A Robbins mole, 4 metres in diameter, was used by R.U.C. Holland (Lyell) Joint Venture on a schedule of rates contract for the tunnelling of approximately 3000 metres in 2 tunnels. A wide range of rock conditions were encountered in these operations. Average rates of advance in excess of 70 metres per week were obtained for long periods, with a peak rate of 105 metres. Transferring of the machine down and up the Prince Lyell No. 1 shaft posed special problems._x000D_
Comparisons between machine bored and conventional drill and blast methods of mine development show that the use of a mole is of value for longer tunnels.