All planned mining activities take place in the three mining areas with the bulk of the remaining mining scheduled in Shoemaker-Levy. The current mining activities in the Shoemaker-Levy and Halleys deposits are conducted in the form of a conventional Drill/Blast and Load/Haul operation.
FQM has contracted Mining and Civil Australia (MACA), a mining contracting company based in Western
Australia, to undertake ore and waste mining at RNO under a five year, bcm rate based contract which includes drill and blast activities and management of the explosives supply. The contract has an option for extension however, FQM is also undertaking operational reviews that consider alternative mining methods and owner mining.
Mining and crushing operations at RNO recommenced under FQM ownership at Halley’s in May 2011 with average daily production targets of 10 Kt per day of saprolite and 17 Kt per day of limonite being delivered to the crushers. Limonite delivery capacity has since been increased up to 20 Kt per day.
In 2017 mining operations moved to Hale-Bopp and in 2021 mining commenced in Shoemaker-Levy with ore now being transferred back to the process facility via a 12 km long conveyor that crosses the South Coast highway.
The current state of development at each mining area is:
- Halley’s: Mostly saprolite left in HY 21, HY 41, and HY 43. All other pits have been completed and are available for backfill;
- Hale-Bopp: Mini ........
