Rescue operations are continuing in the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania, where two men have been trapped underground for more than three days.
Mine management says the digging will take a couple of days as explosives are being used to make a tunnel to the area.
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".