The miner said it began depositions at the pit, where it has gotten the green light to use the first 200m as a tailings storage facility (TSF), upon completion of the pipeline infrastructure's construction and commissioning.
Newcrest will return Cadia to full production before the end of the current financial year, it added, following a brief ramp-up.
Work is still ongoing by the miner to determine the cause of the March 9 tailings dam breach that stopped the gold mine's production. NSW officials, via the state's resources regulator, have kept the prohibition of tailings deposits in the Northern Tailings Facility (NTF) in place.
"It has been a significant additional challenge to acquire and build the required infrastructure in such short time," managing director and CEO Sandeep Biswas said.
"Today's announcement is a true testament to the dedication and commitment of our people, the support we have received from the state government and local government authorities, and the constructive engagement and support we have received from the Cadia district community."
Newcrest said in late April that, as the open pit now is being used as the complex's TSF, it will likely forego the remaining ore reserve of approximately 1.5 million ounces of gold and 0.13 million tonnes of copper and its mineral resource of about 3 million ounces of gold and 0.27 million tonnes of copper.
"[The company] has determined that the value of Cadia Hill as a long-term tailings storage solution is much greater than the economic value of the remaining ore reserves and mineral resources of the Cadia Hill open pit," it said.
