Overview
| Stage | Production |
| Mine Type | Underground |
| Commodities |
|
| Mining Method |
- Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
- Cemented backfill
|
| Production Start | ...  |
| Mine Life | 2038 |
Construction of the Wira Shaft is underway, and this brownfield expansion will extend Prominent Hill’s life of mine to 2038. As part of project optimisation works done in 2022, this electric hoisting shaft’s capacity was increased from 6Mtpa to 6.5Mtpa. The increased capacity will provide us with optionality to increase Prominent Hill’s annual production rates.
The shaft headframe is planned for installation in the first half of 2023. |
Source:
OZ Minerals Ltd. indirectly owns 100% interest in the Prominent Hill operation through its wholly owned subsidiary OZ Minerals Prominent Hill Operations Pty Ltd.
On May 2, 2023, BHP announced the completion of the OZ Minerals acquisition and implementation of the scheme of arrangement for BHP Lonsdale Investments Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP Group Limited, to acquire 100% of the shares in OZ Minerals Limited (OZL) (the Scheme). BHP Group Limited is now the ultimate parent company of OZL.
Contractors
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Deposit Type
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- IOCG
Summary:
The Prominent Hill iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) deposit is located in the northeastern portion of the Archaean to Mesoproterozoic Gawler Craton, South Australia. Copper-gold-silver mineralisation at Prominent Hill is mostly hosted within hematitematrix breccia containing fragments of sandstone, siltstone, dolostone, and mafic to intermediate volcanic rocks. Copper mineralisation occurs as disseminations of chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite in the matrix of the breccia.
Mineralisation generally has a tabular geometry. Most but not all copper mineralisation is hosted in hematite breccia. Gold mineralisation is commonly coincident with copper mineralisation, but some zones of gold-only mineralisation do exist. Copper grades generally show better spatial continuity within hematite breccia than within other rock types. Barren dykes cross cut the mineralisation. Barren covering sediments overlie the mineralised basement rocks.
The current maximum extent of the reported Mineral Resource is 2,600m (east-west) by 1,400m (vertical). Multiple lenses exist within a mineralised zone having a plan width (across strike) of approximately 300-400m. Only a subset of this mineralised zone has sufficient continuity of grade to have been reported as a Mineral Resource. The upper and lower limits of the reported Mineral Resource are 100m and 1,462m respectively below the pre-mining topographic surface.
Mining Methods
- Sub-level open stoping (SLOS)
- Cemented backfill
Summary:
Prominent Hill is a copper, gold and silver mine located 650 km northwest of Adelaide in South Australia and comprise:
-Open pit mine (Malu) - which concluded operations in Q1 2018;
-Surface ore stockpiles - being in operation since Q2 2018;
-Underground mine (Ankata and Malu mine areas);
-Conventional crushing, grinding and flotation Processing Plant.
Surface operations to rehandle stockpiles are carried out by mining contractor.
The Prominent Hill Underground Mineral Resource is being mined successfully using sub-level open stoping (SLOS) with cemented fill. Access to the ore body and ore haulage is carried out via decline (ramp) system. Operations are performed by mining contractor.
On August 18, 2021, The OZ Minerals Board approved construction of a hoisting shaft at the Prominent Hill copper-gold mine in South Australia, paving the way for a mine life extension and throughput expansion.
Sinking of the shaft is expected to commence in the March quarter of 2022. Mining and installation of underground and surface infrastructure is scheduled for completion along with commissioning of the Wira shaft at the end of 2024, with nameplate capacity expected in H1 2025.
OZ Minerals announced the decision to increase the hoisting shaft capacity under construction at Prominent Hill from 6Mtpa to 6.5Mtpa. The Wira Shaft mine expansion project was approved in August 2021 with works well progressed and scheduled ........
Source:
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Flow Sheet:
Summary:
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Production:
| Commodity | Product | Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Copper
|
Metal in concentrate
|
t
| ...... ^ | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 110,111 | 112,008 |
|
Gold
|
Metal in concentrate
|
oz
| ...... ^ | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... |
|
Copper
|
Concentrate
|
kt
| | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | 260 | |
|
Silver
|
Metal in concentrate
|
oz
| | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | ...... | |
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Operational Metrics:
| Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|
Ore tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 3,365,932 t | 5,132,570 t | 16,963,931 t |
|
Tonnes milled
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 9,807,885 t | 9,830,063 t | |
|
Total tonnes mined
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 4,317,376 t | 6,575,586 t | 25,272,373 t |
|
Waste
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 951,444 t | 1,443,016 t | |
|
Annual milling capacity
| ...... | ...... | ...... | 10 Mt | | |
^ Guidance / Forecast.
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Reserves at June 30, 2022:
The A$48/t Net Smelter Return (NSR) cut-off for the Prominent Hill Underground Mineral Resource.
Prominent Hill Underground Reserve cut-off value: Ankata orebody were designed to a $65 NSR shell, the Malu orebody were designed to a $75 NSR shell and Kalaya and Malu Deeps West to a $70 NSR shell.
Stockpile cut-off is $17/t NSR which covers rehandle and processing costs.
| Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
|
Proven
|
29 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.2 %
|
340 kt
|
|
Proven
|
29 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.6 g/t
|
530 koz
|
|
Proven
|
29 Mt
|
Silver
|
2.9 g/t
|
2.7 M oz
|
|
Proven
|
29 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
1.5 %
|
|
|
Probable
|
39 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.7 %
|
270 kt
|
|
Probable
|
39 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.7 g/t
|
850 koz
|
|
Probable
|
39 Mt
|
Silver
|
1.9 g/t
|
2.4 M oz
|
|
Probable
|
39 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
1.1 %
|
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
68 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.9 %
|
610 kt
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
68 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.6 g/t
|
1,400 koz
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
68 Mt
|
Silver
|
2.3 g/t
|
5.1 M oz
|
|
Proven & Probable
|
68 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
1.3 %
|
|
|
Measured
|
49 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.2 %
|
590 kt
|
|
Measured
|
49 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.6 g/t
|
940 koz
|
|
Measured
|
49 Mt
|
Silver
|
3 g/t
|
4.7 M oz
|
|
Measured
|
49 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
1.6 %
|
|
|
Indicated
|
60 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.7 %
|
450 kt
|
|
Indicated
|
60 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.8 g/t
|
1,600 koz
|
|
Indicated
|
60 Mt
|
Silver
|
2.2 g/t
|
4.2 M oz
|
|
Indicated
|
60 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
1.3 %
|
|
|
Inferred
|
66 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.8 %
|
560 kt
|
|
Inferred
|
66 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.9 g/t
|
1,900 koz
|
|
Inferred
|
66 Mt
|
Silver
|
2.3 g/t
|
4.8 M oz
|
|
Inferred
|
66 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
1.4 %
|
|
|
Total Resource
|
180 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.9 %
|
1,600 kt
|
|
Total Resource
|
180 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.8 g/t
|
4,500 koz
|
|
Total Resource
|
180 Mt
|
Silver
|
2.4 g/t
|
14 M oz
|
|
Total Resource
|
180 Mt
|
Copper Equivalent
|
1.4 %
|
|
Pipelines and Water Supply
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Corporate Filings & Presentations:
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