You can access and mine deeper ore before you dig out the ore above first..
Most mining methods, one way or another, work that way: mine a horizontal interval, fill the voids, mine the next interval above working off the fill. Generally it is better to work under a roof of rock than a roof of fill. Let's call this series of horizontal intervals a panel.
Most mines can mine two or more panels simultaneously. Once the decline gets to the bottom of a pre-defined panel, develop said panel and start mining. Continue to develop the decline until the bottom of the next panel is reached and kick off that panel. Mine that panel up to a pillar of ore which sits under the first panel and is left for later or left permanently, etc. etc. Hopefully the crown pillar can be left in narrow, low grade ore. Mining in the first panel will generally be simultaneous with mining in the second until the first is exhausted.
As for all of the exploration drilling which has been done, it does seem to have been a waste of money in that nothing was found. There is however the possibility that the geos had what they thought was a good target which turned out to be crap when drilled. Me, I think they should stop farting around with the remote stuff and concentrate on getting a mine up and running.
For great VMS targets which turned to nought, paste this:
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