At the West Tamar Council’s August meeting on Tuesday, councillors were told they would know more by the end of the week. 

The council’s infrastructure services manager, Ian Howard, told the meeting that progress had been a “little slow”.

“They have cleared the blocked pipe that was a problem some weeks ago and they have recommenced filling the mine,” he said. 

Mr Howard said the technicians were expected to finish filling a 3000 tonne block on Tuesday night. 

“I’ve asked them to hold the filling at that stage until we get some good camera footage down the shaft, once they put in the driller and the camera down the shaft on Thursday,” he said.

“I’m hoping by the end of the week we will have some good footage.”

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Mr Howard said he would be very happy if the fill had “achieved the desired result”.

“Then I … would say we’re on the right track, there is, however, a risk that the fill is disappearing,” he said. 

“The proof in the pudding will be camera footage … which will tell us whether we’re winning or losing.”

Councillor Joy Allen asked what would happen if the council was “losing”. Mr Howard said the council would have to look at “plan b”, if that was the case.

“Plan b at the moment is not bothering to fill the shaft, but actually filling above the blockage and hoping it remains in tact. Then doing some pressure grouting around the outside of the blockage,” he said. 

“That’s a little hit and miss because the grout is difficult and expensive, but that’s the fall back.

“We can’t just jeep throwing coins down the hole.”

At the council’s June meeting, it was revealed the stabilisation works had some “hiccups”. 

About 7000 tonnes of rock had flowed unexpectedly into the mine’s workshop meaning the gravel fill hadn’t filled the shaft as far as technicians had hoped.

The mine was damaged after last year’s floods.