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Australia

Havieron Project

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Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StageConstruction
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Copper
Mining Method
  • Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
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Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotHavieron is an exciting underground gold-copper development project in the Paterson region of Western Australia, one of the leading frontiers for the discovery of world-class precious and base metals deposits.

Early works commenced in January 2021 and are now significantly advanced, including development of the underground main access decline through 80% of the total depth to the top of the Havieron ore body. A Pre-Feasibility Study was completed in October 2021, and an updated Feasibility Study is currently progressing.

The ore from Havieron is expected will be processed at the Telfer mining facility, located 45 km west of Havieron (subject to a positive feasibility study, mining decision and payment processing agreement).
Related AssetTelfer Operation

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Greatland Pty Ltd 30 % Indirect
Newmont Corp. (operator) 70 % Indirect
Havieron is entirely contained within mining tenement M45/1287, which is owned by the Havieron Joint Venture participants, being Greatland Pty Ltd (Greatland) and Newcrest, a wholly owned subsidiary of Newmont Corporation (Newmont). Newcrest has previously entered into a Joint Venture Agreement (effective 30 November 2020) and Farm-In Agreement (effective 12 March 2019) with Greatland and Greatland Gold plc. Newcrest is the manager of the Havieron Joint Venture and holds a 70% interest (Greatland holds a 30% interest).

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork
  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Replacement
  • Intrusion related

Summary:

Havieron is located within the north-western exposure of the Palaeo-Proterozoic to Neoproterozoic Paterson Orogen (formerly Paterson Province), 45 km east of the Telfer mine. The Yeneena Supergroup hosts the Havieron prospect and consists of a 9km thick sequence of marine sedimentary rocks and is entirely overlain by approximately 420m of Phanerozoic sediments of the Paterson Formation and Quaternary aeolian sediments.

The geology model defines several mineralised zones, including a Crescent Zone (containing the sulphide rich material in the area named the "South East Crescent Zone") and several Breccia types (Cemented Breccia (CB) and Crackle Breccia (CBX)), and several unmineralised zones (Dolerite Dyke, Calc-silicate country rocks, Permian sequence and Cover). In addition, a new sulphide rich Zone, the "Link Zone" has been defined in the lower sections of the mineral system (3750 - 4000mRL). These zones are based on grouped primary logging domain codes interpreted from drill cores, mineralogical logs and assay data. Greatland has incorporated much of the previously reported Actinolite Breccia (ACB) zone into its CB and CBX zones on the bases of their similarity of spatial grade distributions and geometries, and absence of sharp contrasts in gold and copper grades between them.

The Havieron deposit comprises an ovoid shaped zone of variable brecciation, alteration and sulphide mineralisation (the Breccia Pipe). The mineralisation trends northwest to southeast with approximate dimensions of 650m in length by 350m in width and 1,400m in depth along a northwest orientation. Bedding of the surrounding country rocks outside of the Breccia Pipe strikes northwest to southeast and dips approximately 40° to the southwest whereas inside the breccia zone the dip steepens greater than 60° to sub-vertical.

The Breccia Pipe includes unmineralised to low-grade crackle breccia and a series of mineralised cemented breccias. The highest-grade breccia occurs on the margins of the Breccia Pipe and is termed the South East Crescent Zone. The Breccia Pipe also includes relatively small dioritic intrusions with brecciated contacts or wall rock clasts within the breccias. The diorite intrusions are discontinuous; however, there appears to be a strong spatial relationship between the presence and abundance of the diorite dykes and/or clasts and the presence of gold and copper mineralisation. The Breccia Pipe is intruded by a 20-30m wide, north-northeast trending, steeply dipping post mineralisation dolerite dyke.

Gold and copper mineralisation at Havieron consist of breccia, vein and massive sulphide replacement gold and copper mineralisation typical of intrusion-related and skarn styles of mineralisation. Mineralisation is hosted by metasedimentary rocks (meta-sandstones, meta-siltstones and meta-carbonate) and intrusive rocks of an undetermined age. The main mineral assemblage contains well-developed pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite and pyrite sulphide mineral assemblages as breccia and vein infill, and massive sulphide lenses. The main mineralisation event is associated with amphibole-carbonate-biotite-sericite- chlorite wall rock alteration. Drilling has partially defined the extents of mineralisation which are observed over 650m by 350m within an arcuate shaped mineralised zone, and to depths of up to 1400m below surface.

Variable brecciation, alteration and sulphide mineralisation are observed with a footprint with dimensions of 650m x 350m trending in a north west orientation and over 1100m in vertical extent below ~420m of cover. The South East Crescent Zone Mineral Resource extents are ~550m in unfolded plan section, between 5-40m true width and 1200m in vertical extent, mineralisation remains open at depth.

The Link zone begins at approximately the 4000mRL (1250m below surface) and has currently been defined down to 3750mRL. The Link Zone is a moderately dipping approximately 30m wide by 200m long zone of mineralisation.

The Breccia Mineral Resource occurs as a 50-100m sleeve marginal to the South East Crescent Zone Mineral Resource and also with pockets within the greater breccia pipe. These pockets within the core of the breccia trend from the north west near the top of the system, downwards towards the north east in the lower levels of the system and potentially connect with the Eastern Breccia material.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Gold Metal in conc./ doré koz 1601,432
Copper Metal in concentrate kt 6.962

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study.

Production Costs

CommodityUnitsAverage
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Copper USD  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Gold USD  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2021 study / presentation.

Operating Costs

Currency2021
Total operating costs ($/t milled) AUD 112 *  
* According to 2021 study.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Pre-Production capital costs $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax Cash Flow (LOM) $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 4.5% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe
After-tax payback period, years  ......  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

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