Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

South Kalgoorlie Mine

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Gold
Mining Method
  • Longhole open stoping
Production Start... Lock
SnapshotThe South Kalgoorlie operation includes the Hampton-Boulder-Jubilee (HBJ) underground mine that is situated adjacent to the Jubilee Plant.

Jubilee mill being placed on care and maintenance in Q1 2023. The HBJ ore is processed at the Kanowna Belle mill.
Related AssetKalgoorlie Operation

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Northern Star Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect

Contractors

Lock

- subscription is required.

Deposit type

  • Paleoplacer
  • Orogenic
  • Porphyry

Summary:

The SKO is located within the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane and the 842sqkm tenement package traverses across the Coolgardie, Ora Banda, Kambalda and Boorara Domains. Mineralisation is associated with the greenstone sequence that consists of a mafic to ultramafic volcanic succession that is overlain by an intermediate to felsic volcano-sedimentary sequence.

The structural architecture is dominated by NNW-trending crustal scale shear zones including the Boulder-Lefroy, Zuleika, Abattoir, Boorara, Kunanulling, Binduli and Spargoville structural corridors. These structural corridors are the key influencers of mineralisation in the greater Kalgoorlie district and to date have yielded a mineral endowment of over 100Moz.

Mineralisation styles within the district is a combination of Orogenic and Paleoplacer style deposits. Mineralisation is controlled by Brittle-Ductile shear zones, 1st and 2nd order structures that act as Lithostratigraphic contacts (as fluid conduits) through late stage brittle structures. Mineralisation is also associated with fertile sulphidised intrusive porphyries and layered mafic intrusions with chemically reactive lithologies that provide a rheological contrast.

Stratigraphy for the Ora Banda and Kalgoorlie Domains is relatively well-known and comprises (from stratigraphically lowest) a lower basalt unit, komatiitic to high-magnesian basaltic rocks, an upper basalt unit and overlying felsic volcanic-sedimentary units. Conglomeratic and sandstone units unconformably overlie the upper felsic units adjacent to major shear zones. Layered mafic sills occur within various stratigraphic units and cross-cutting Proterozoic dykes also occur throughout the region. Metamorphic grade ranges from upper greenschist to upper amphibolite facies.

The deformation history of the area is generally divided into four main phases, comprising north-directed thrusting with recumbent folding and stratigraphic repetition in D1. The second deformation (D2) resulted in north-northwest trending folds which are reflected in the dominant north-northwest trending fabric of the greenstone belts. Shortening continued during D3 with strike slip movement along northwest to north northwest trending shear zones and D4 brittle faulting. The HBJ orebodies form part of a gold mineralised system along the Boulder-Lefroy shear zone that is over 4 km long and includes the Celebration, Mutooroo, HBJ and Golden Hope open pit and underground mines.

The HBJ orebodies are hosted within a steeply-dipping, north-northwest-striking package of mafic, ultramafic, and sedimentary rocks and schists that have been intruded by felsic to intermediate porphyries. The area is extensively deformed with numerous north-striking shear zones and dilation of the porphyry intrusions.

The HBJ resource extends over 3 km of strike and up to 1 km below surface with the individual lodes being up to 80 m wide, but often only several metres wide.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Lock

- subscription is required.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

CommodityUnits201720162015
All production numbers are expressed as metal in doré.

Operational metrics

Metrics20232022202120192018201720162015
Waste  ....  Subscribe
Annual processing capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe1.2 Mt1.2 Mt1.2 Mt
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe829,076 t688,208 t236,529 t
Tonnes processed  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe987,666 t884,854 t766,238 t

Production Costs

CommodityUnits2017
All-in sustaining costs (AISC) Gold AUD 1,100 / oz  
C1 cash costs Gold AUD 953 / oz  
All-in costs Gold AUD 1,267 / oz  

Operating Costs

Currency2017
Combined mining costs ($/t mined) AUD 700  
Processing costs ($/t milled) AUD  ....  Subscribe

Financials

Units2017
Capital expenditures M AUD 20.9  
Revenue M AUD 130.1  

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

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 Feb 13, 2024

ContractorsYear
...... Subscription required 2023

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.