Work has begun on a new tunnel in the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania, to try to reach the area where two miners have been trapped since Tuesday night.
Explosives have been used to break through rock, to help make the 36-metre long tunnel to the area, almost a kilometre underground.
Nothing has been heard of Todd Russell and Brant Webb since they were trapped by a rockfall which killed another miner, Larry Knight.
The mine manager, Matthew Gill, says 13 men are underground, involved in the dangerous operation to reach the area where Mr Russell and Mr Webb were working.
"We are all working as hard and as quickly as we can so that everyone knows as soon as possible, but we cannot rush this. We cannot risk more lives."