The Dolphin Scheelite orebody is located near the old mining town of
Grassy on the south-east comer of King Island in Tasmania. Surface open
cut mining of the Dolphin deposit was conducted for a number of years,
then the proximity of the sea and adverse stipping ratio led to
underground mining. As a result of the variable orientation and
dimensions of parts of the orebody a number of mining methods were
practiced at the Dolphin mine until 1990 when a combination of high
processing and surface site costs coupled with low tungsten prices led to
the cessation of operations. In this paper the different mining methods
practised are examined and critically reviewed. The more successful
mining methods were developed with experience and improving
equipment technology to the extent that the underground operation
produced ore at the lowest unit cost during the final years of operation.