Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Malu (OP) Mine

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Categories

Overview

Mine TypeStockpile
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Silver
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Prominent Hill Open Pit Mineral Resource was fully depleted, with the Open Pit mining operations completed in March 2018.

The processing schedule has the plant operating at approximately 9Mtpa until 2025, depleting the remaining open pit gold, copper and marginal stockpiles.
Related AssetProminent Hill Operation

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnershipInvestor's Info
BHP Group Ltd. 100 % Indirect
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. The Prominent Hill Open Pit Mineral Resource was fully depleted, with the Open Pit mining operations completed in March 2018. Since 2 quarter 2018, previously stockpiled ore is processed. The ROM stockpiles have been classified as Measured because they have been mined from zones which have been drilled to grade-control spacing. Mining production and reclaim records in conjunction with ROM surveys have supported the construction of open pit ROM stockpile block models at a monthly level of definition.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Production

CommodityUnits2020201920182017
Gold koz  ....  Subscribe130124129
Silver M oz  ....  Subscribe0.60.70.8
All production numbers are expressed as metal in ore.

Operational metrics

Metrics202020192018201720162015
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe6.9 Mt7.2 Mt7.4 Mt8.8 Mt8.8 Mt
Stripping / waste ratio  ....  Subscribe1 3.1
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe15.1 Mt

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Operating Costs

Currency2016
OP mining costs ($/t mined) AUD 6.2  
OP mining costs ($/t milled) AUD  ....  Subscribe

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 26, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 26, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 26, 2023
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 26, 2023

Aerial view:

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