Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
- Longhole open stoping
- Avoca
- Cemented paste backfill
- Cemented rockfill
- Unconsolidated rockfill
|
Production Start | ... |
Mine Life | 2023 |
The Flying Fox underground mine remains one of the highest grade nickel mines in the world. Production commenced in 2006, and the mine now operates at depths of over 1km underground. |
Source:
p. 28
Company | Interest | Ownership |
IGO Ltd.
|
100 %
|
Indirect
|
On 20 June 2022, IGO Limited acquired 100% of the issued capital of Western Areas Limited. Western Areas was an ASX listed Australian-based mining and exploration company with a portfolio of operating and development stage mines. It owns a 100% interest in the Forrestania Operation (consisting of the Flying Fox and Spotted Quoll underground mines and the Cosmic Boy processing facility) and the Cosmos Project, both located in Western Australia, together with a substantial exploration portfolio.
Contractors
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Summary:
Forrestania’s camp of nickel sulphide deposits is hosted by a sequence of ~2.9Ga meta-igneous and metasedimentary rocks that are part of the Forrestania Greenstone Belt (FGB) of the Youanmi Terrane of the Eastern Yilgarn Craton.
Forrestania’s nickel deposits is the ‘Kambalda-style’ Type 1 and Type 2 models where nickel sulphides are interpreted to have accumulated in channelised komatiitic lava flows. Many of Forrestania’s deposits are often tectonically displaced from the original depositional locations and have been deformed and/or dismembered by one or more local and/or regional post-depositional tectonic events.
The main deposit type is the komatiite hosted, disseminated to massive nickel sulphide deposits, which include the Flying Fox and Spotted Quoll deposits. The mineralisation occurs in association with the basal section of high MgO cumulate ultramafic rocks.
The greenstone succession in the district also hosts several orogenic lode gold deposits, of which the Bounty Gold Mine is the largest example.
Flying Fox is hosted by a package of deformed metavolcanics and metasediments that have been intruded by granites. Locally, the geology comprises a strongly foliated succession of komatiites intercalated with metasediments, both of which are typical of the FGB’s Lower Sequence.
Post the primary deposition of the sulphide mineralisation in lava channels, one or more tectonic events have dismembered Flying Fox’s origi ........
Mining Methods
- Longhole open stoping
- Avoca
- Cemented paste backfill
- Cemented rockfill
- Unconsolidated rockfill
Summary:
The Flying Fox deposit is currently being mined using longhole stoping methods. The mining method, which is unlikely to change, has been considered during the estimation process.
Mining factors or assumption
The mining method used is a mix of direct AVOCA, reverse AVOCA longhole stoping with a bottom-up sequence and rock and cemented rock fill above the 425 level, and a longhole top-down sequence and paste filling of resultant voids below the 425 level.
The mining model used Datamine software Studio UG and Enhanced Production Scheduler (EPS). Mining factors are based on historical operational performance.
The Mineral Resource model used is in Datamine format. In areas outside the MRE model grade control model has been used in some locations. A 2.0m minimum mining width is used.
The average length of stable stopes is 20m. The average stope height is between 8m and 17m. Other geotechnical parameters are contained in the current Ground Control Management Plan.
The planned stope dilution is 0.5m (hanging wall) and 0.25m (footwall). The unplanned dilution (from host rock and paste) is 19.2% above the 345 lv and 28.6% below this level in weight at 0% Ni.
Source:
Source:
Summary:
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Production:
Commodity | Units | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Nickel
|
kt
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 10 | 10 |
All production numbers are expressed as metal in ore.
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Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | 231,607 t | 260,665 t | 237,119 t |
Reserves at June 30, 2023:
Mineral Reserve cut-off grade of 0.8% Ni.
Mineral Resource is reported at cut-of 0.40% Ni.
Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
0.004 Mt
|
Nickel
|
1.76 %
|
0.07 kt
|
Probable
|
0.1 Mt
|
Nickel
|
1.91 %
|
1.3 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
0.1 Mt
|
Nickel
|
1.9 %
|
1.4 kt
|
Measured
|
0.004 Mt
|
Nickel
|
1.76 %
|
0.07 kt
|
Indicated
|
0.2 Mt
|
Nickel
|
7.06 %
|
14.4 kt
|
Inferred
|
0.5 Mt
|
Nickel
|
3.34 %
|
17 kt
|
Total Resource
|
0.7 Mt
|
Nickel
|
4.39 %
|
31.5 kt
|
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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