Mining Intelligence and News
Papua New Guinea

Simberi Operation

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotSimberi firmed up it’s ability to continue oxide processing from a combination of using incremental cut-off grade costings and the use of Artificial Intelligence to identify more Carbon-in-Leach (CIL) treatable material in the mine plan. This operating strategy is designed to maintain business continuity through to the commencement of sulphides operations anticipated in late 2027 such that closure costs, care and maintenance and associated community impacts can be avoided.

The primary focus for FY25 is to progress the Simberi Sulphides Expansion to Feasibility Study ahead of Final Investment Decision.
Related AssetSimberi Sulphide Project

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
St Barbara Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Simberi Gold Co, Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
The Simberi Gold Project is 100% owned by the Simberi Gold Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of St Barbara Limited.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Volcanic hosted

Summary:

Simberi Island represents an eroded, deeply dissected Pliocene strato-volcano. The island developed from multiple episodes of eruptive and effusive mafic to intermediate volcanism. Volcanic flows and intrusives range from basanite, alkali basalt, trachybasalt, trachyandesite, microsyenite, trachyte and feldspar porphyry. In places these units are overlain by a fining-up sequence of coarse grits, sandstone and mudstone. Bioclastic limestone platforms unconformably overlay the volcano-sedimentary sequence. A number of raised Pliocene to Pleistocene bioclastic limestone platforms flank the volcano and provide evidence of ongoing regional uplift.

Gold mineralisation at Simberi is associated with extension and basin formation (caldera collapse) after the cessation of volcanic activity. Mineralised normal faults are seen in all deposits, and an abundance of steep structures, steep fault lineations and normal fault offsets at Simberi are consistent with extensional tectonics.

The deposits comprise oxides and sulphides, reflecting the depth of weathering and degree of erosion. Significant oxides are predominantly present in the areas of highest topography, >150m RL. Oxides may persist to lower elevations on the larger faults, but in general, are absent in the lower ground. At Sorowar and Pigiput, the supergene oxides are well developed in the strongly argillic-altered breccia units, but the overlying agglomerate/tuffaceous sandstone is only weakly weathered. These upper units are only locally affected by the argillic-alteration, indicating deposition at a late stage in the extensional/mineralisation event. Weathering/supergene alteration is best developed in the strongly altered units.

Leapfrog software was used to generate a 0.25 g/t Au grade shell for resource estimation.

Pigibo is oriented W-E for approximately 740 m with a central bulge about 300 m wide and tapering to about 100 m at the western and eastern extremities. It is located about 1,500 m to the southwest of the central part of Sorowar.

Pigiput is east of Pigibo and about 1000 m south of Sorowar. It is roughly equidimensional (640 m diameter) in plan.

Munun Creek is between Pigiput and Sorowar however, there is now enough drilling to define continuous mineralisation between Pigiput and Sorowar.

Botlu is about 800 m south of Pigibo. It strikes SE-NW for approximately 680 m with an average width of around 250 m. About 700 m to the SE of Botlu is the discontinuous Pigicow deposit which strikes SW-NE for nearly 600 m with a variable width (200-450 m).

Samat is located about 700 m to the southeast of Pigicow and is aligned north-south for approximately 720 m with an average width of 300 m. Like Pigicow, Bekou is discontinuous and oriented towards the eastnortheast with a strike length of around 600 m. Located about 650 m to the southwest of Samat, its width varies from 40 m to 170 m.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Production

Simberi production only occurred for half of FY22 due to deep-sea tailings placement failure.
CommodityUnits202420232022202120202019201820172016
Gold koz  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe142 135 116 110 
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré. ^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics202420232022202120202019201820172016
Annual milling capacity  ....  Subscribe
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3,396 kt4,199 kt4,020 kt3,372 kt
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Tonnes milled  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3,072 kt3,586 kt3,690 kt3,315 kt
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3.5 Mt3.5 Mt3.5 Mt
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe12,345 kt13,610 kt

Production Costs

CommodityUnits20242023202220212020201920182017
Credits (by-product) Gold AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe -6 / oz   -4 / oz  
Cash costs Gold AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 973 / oz   929 / oz  
Total cash costs Gold AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1,016 / oz **   969 / oz **   1,092 / oz **  
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 1,162 / oz **   1,068 / oz **   1,187 / oz **  
^ Guidance / Forecast.
** Net of By-Product.

Financials

Units20242023202220212020201920182017
Sustaining costs M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 9.4   4.1   3.7  
Growth Capital M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 4.6   0.3  
Capital expenditures M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 14   4.4   3.7  
Revenue M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 257.6   217.9   199.8  
Operating Income M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 89.8  
Gross profit M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 113.8   100.2   75.6  
Pre-tax Income M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 89.8   77.8   24  
EBITDA M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 108   95.3   71.1  
Operating Cash Flow M AUD  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 98.3  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
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EmployeesContractorsTotal WorkforceYear
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Aerial view:

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