Overview
| Status | Care and Maintenance |
| Mine Type | Underground |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
|
| Mine Life | 1 years (as of Jan 1, 2017) |
Based on current life of mine plans, the Long Operation will reach the end of its Ore Reserves and cease mining operations towards the end of FY18. The Company currently expects the mine will go into Care and Maintenance and to continue exploration. |
Source:
IGO acquired the Long Operation, from BHP Billiton Nickel West Pty Ltd (formerly WMC Resources Ltd) in September 2002. The mine was successfully re- commissioned in October 2002 and has operated successfully and safely since then until 31 May 2018.
Summary:
The Long Operation occurs along the eastern flank of the Kambalda Dome in the South Central portion of the Archaean aged Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone belt of the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia. The Kambalda Dome is a double-plunging antiform with a core of granodiorite flanked by meta tholeiitic basalt that is overlain by komatiite and intercalated sediments. The host rocks and associated contacts have been subjected to lower amphibolite metamorphism, structural modification, and intrusion by multiple felsic to intermediate igneous dykes that are mostly barren.
The Kambalda style nickel-sulphide orebodies are associated with Archaean aged ultramafic lava channels where molten liquid nickel-sulphides pooled at topographic lows along the komatiite channel. Subsequent folding has rotated the channels from 30° to vertical dip to the east, 10° plunge to the south as well as resulting in the remobilisation of some of the original sulphides into new, structurally imposed positions. The nickel sulphide orebodies are narrow, ribbon-like accumulations of massive to semi-massive sulphides to disseminated sulphides up to 12m thick.
The Long Operation consists of four main deposits in two parallel lava channels: Long and Moran in one channel (the Long Channel), McLeay and Victor South in another (the Victor Channel). Victor South contains the only disseminated sulphides of economic value whereas the other three are massive to semimassive or matrix ore nickel sulphide deposits. The Victor Channel was also host to the Gibb, Gibb South and Victor deposits, which are now mined out.
Summary:
The Long Operation is an owner operation mechanised underground mine that primarily uses long-hole open stoping and long-stoping with backfill. Mining is carried out using a fleet of 1700 & 1300 Caterpillar Load Haul Dumps and 45t & 50t Caterpillar trucks. Ore is hauled to surface by truck to ore stockpiles and then transported ~1km to the nearby BHPB Nickel West concentrator for processing.
Summary:
Offtake agreement for ore produced delivered to the adjacent BHP Nickel concentrator for toll treatment and production of nickel concentrate.
Recoveries & Grades:
| Commodity | Parameter | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Nickel
|
Head Grade, %
| 3.22 | 4.11 | 3.94 |
|
Copper
|
Head Grade, %
| ......  | ...... | ...... |
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Reserves at December 31, 2018:
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Indicated
|
0.4 Mt
|
Nickel
|
4.01 %
|
16 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
0.35 Mt
|
Nickel
|
4.4 %
|
15 kt
|
Commodity Production Costs:
| | Commodity | Units | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Cash costs
|
Nickel
|
AUD
|
...... 
|
......
|
- 'Investor' subscription is required.
Financials:
| | Units | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|
Revenue
|
M AUD
| ......  | ...... | ...... |
|
Pre-tax Income
|
M AUD
| ...... | ...... | ...... |
- 'Supplier or 'Investor' subscription is required.
Mine Management:
| Job Title | Name | Profile | Ref. Date |
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
|
Sep 28, 2018
|
- 'Supplier or 'Investor' subscription is required.