A woman who went missing while prospecting with her husband in Western Australia's Goldfields region four months ago is not expected to be found alive.
Her partner Raymond Kehlet, 47, was found dead at the bottom of a 12-metre deep disused mine shaft in April, more than three weeks after he and wife Jennie, 49, were last seen camping in the Tabletop area on March 22.
The alarm was raised after their emaciated Great Dane wandered into the Sandstone Caravan Park, about 30km away, about a week later.
Despite an extensive search, Ms Kehlet hasn't been found.
"We now believe it's a recovery mission," Major Crime Division Detective Superintendent Alan Morton told reporters on Monday.
More than 2000 hectares have been searched so far, including more than 130 disused mine shafts.
Police now say an area to the east warrants investigation.
The expanded search will cover a mobile phone tower, the disused Bell Chambers mine and two areas identified by GPS co-ordinates highlighted in the couple's notebook, which do not correspond to known tracks.
The search will resume on July 20 for a week or two.
For Ms Kehlet's daughter Kelly, it's now about closure.
"It's hard to move through the steps of grief when you don't have anyone to mourn," she said.
"I would love to have my mother return to me alive and safe but it's been months.
"We have to be realistic about these sorts of things."
Mr Kehlet's brother Malcolm has spent sleepless nights wondering what happened to his sibling.
"You can drive yourself crazy trying to think of something that fits," he said.
"It's all very confusing and doesn't make a lot of sense to us."
Police are also trying to identify potential witnesses in the Sandstone area during mid to late March. No one has come forward yet.
The couple, from Beverley in rural Western Australia, were experienced campers, and it was their first prospecting trip outside their own property.
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