The Great Cobar Project involves the development of satellite base metals and a gold deposit, north of, and accessible from, the New Cobar mining complex at the Peak Mine.
The Great Cobar Project comprises:
- Establishment of a new satellite underground mine which would deliver ore to the Peak Mine process plant;
- Excavation of twin underground access declines and a return air raise to access the deposit from the existing New Cobar Mine workings;
- Longhole stoping mining methods with waste rock backfill in the copper dominant portion of the deposit;
- Initial mining and processing expected to take place over an approximate six-year life (400-500ktpa) to deliver a total of 66kt copper and 92koz gold.
The Great Cobar deposit remains open both up-plunge and down-plunge. Further testing of the mineralised extents of the deposit will be facilitated by underground drill platforms that will be accessed from the planned mine workings.
Mining Operations
The selected mining method is longhole stoping. Ore will be hauled using 50t trucks along an underground ramp system from the proposed Great Cobar mine to the New Cobar surface run of mine (ROM) stockpile. Ore will then be transported from the New Cobar ROM pad via Kidman Way to the Peak Mine’s process plant using roadgoing side tipping trucks.
The preferred stope void backfill method is uncemented rockfill and cemented rockfill. There is sufficient waste rock ........