Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Cadia PC1-2 Expansion Project

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Categories

Summary

Mine TypeUnderground
Study CompletedFeasibility
StageConstruction
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Copper
  • Silver
  • Molybdenum
Mining Method
  • Panel caving
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SnapshotCadia East operation consists of two main panel caves (PC): PC1, which is 1,200 meters deep, and PC2, which is 1,400 meters deep. A third potential panel cave, PC3 sits 275 meters directly below PC2. Panel Caves 1 and 2 are currently in production, with PC2-3 and PC1-2 in development and PC1-3 and PC3-1 providing additional potential.

In November 2022, the PC 1-2 feasibility study was approved for execution. PC1-2 is the next panel cave for execution at Cadia after PC2-3, and its development is expected to recover approximately 20 percent of Cadia’s ore reserves.

Cadia Panel Caves, Cadia (PC 1-2 and PC2-3). This project includes two panel caves to recover approximately 5.9 million ounces of gold reserves and 2.9 billion pounds of copper reserves. First ore has been delivered from the first panel cave (PC2-3), and development is underway at the second panel cave (PC1-2). Development capital costs are expected to continue until the second half of 2026.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Newmont Corp. 100 % Indirect
Cadia Holdings Pty Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Cadia is owned by Cadia Holdings Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Newcrest Mining Limited, which was acquired by Newmont in November 2023.

Deposit type

  • Vein / narrow vein
  • Porphyry
  • Breccia pipe / Stockwork

Summary:

The Cadia East deposit is considered to be examples of alkalic porphyry gold copper-style mineralization.

The Cadia East deposit occupies a mineralized zone 2.5 km in strike length. 600 m in width and over 1,900 m in vertical extent, It is located below and to the east of the Cadia Hill deposit.

Mineralization at Cadia East is divided into two broad overlapping zones; an upper, copper-rich disseminated zone and a deeper gold-rich zone associated with sheeted veins. The upper zone forms a relatively small cap to the overall mineralized envelope and has a core of disseminated chalcopyrite (and rare bornite), capped by chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralization (Fox et al., 2009).

The deeper zone is localized around a core of steeply-dipping, sheeted, quartz-calcite-bornite chalcopyrite-molybdenite veins, with the highest gold grades associated with the bornite-bearing veins. Copper and molybdenite form a mineralized blanket above and to the east of the higher grade gold envelope.

Au:Cu values are vertically zoned. The upper, disseminated zone of volcanic-hosted mineralization typically has low Au:Cu values (<1), whereas the envelopes of sheeted quartz calcite-sulfide veins have higher Au:Cu values (typically >2).

Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

CommodityProductUnitsAvg. AnnualLOM
Gold Metal in conc./ doré koz 2313,700
Copper Metal in concentrate kt 42670

Operational metrics

Metrics
Annual ore mining rate  ....  Subscribe
Annual ore mining capacity  ....  Subscribe
Annual milling rate  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined, LOM  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study.

Production Costs

CommodityAverage
All-in sustaining costs (sold) Gold  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Copper  ....  Subscribe
Assumed price Gold  ....  Subscribe
* According to 2022 study / presentation.
** Net of By-Product.

Project Costs

MetricsUnitsLOM Total
Initial CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Sustaining CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
Total CapEx $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax NPV @ 4.5% $M AUD  ......  Subscribe
After-tax IRR, %  ......  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
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Workforce

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