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Australia

Mt Keith Mine

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Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Nickel
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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SnapshotMt Keith mine includes Concentrator, Mt Keith Mine, Mt Keith Satellite Mine (Yakabindie). Mt Keith Satellite Mine contains 2 open-pit mines: Six Mile Well and Goliath.

Disseminated sulphide ore is mined at the Mt Keith open-pit operation and Mt Keith Satellite mine (Yakabindie) and crushed and processed on-site to produce nickel concentrate.

BHP is assessing options to expand Mt Keith operations and have completed approximately 100 kilometres of development and exploration drilling in FY2023.

TransAlta has completed the construction of the Northern Goldfields Solar Project, a large-scale, off-grid mining solar and battery energy storage system, to help power Nickel West’s Mt Keith and Leinster operations. The project includes a solar farm at Mount Keith and a solar farm and battery energy storage system at Leinster.
Related AssetNickel West Operation

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnershipInvestor's Info
BHP Group Ltd. 100 % Indirect
BHP Billiton Nickel West Pty Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
The Mt Keith Nickel Operation (NMK) is mine, wholly owned and operated by NiW (BHP Billiton Nickel West Pty Ltd), a subsidiary of BHP.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Intrusion related
  • Magmatic
  • Metamorphic

Summary:

Disseminated textured magmatic nickel-sulphide mineralisation associated with a metamorphosed ultramafic intrusion.

The stratigraphy in the Mt Keith region is composed of ultramafic sequences (olivine cumulates and thin spinifex textured flows), basalts, volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks and sedimentary rocks The ultramafic sequence at Mt Keith is lenticular It faces W, dips 80- 85, and has undergone low- to mid-greenschist metamorphism The major komatiitic rock types include sulphide-bearing olivine mesocumulate, olivine orthocumulate, talc-carbonate altered orthocumulates and a porphyry olivine rock The non sulphide mineralogy consists of hydrated Mg silicates (Iizardite, antigorite, chrysotile, talc), Mg oxy carboxyl hydroxides (brucite, stichtite, pyroaurite, iowaite), spinels (chromite, magnetite), carbonates (magnesite, dolomite), tremolite-actinolite and chlorite The disseminated sulphide mineralogy is dominated by pentlandite, with minor millerite, viola rite and pyrrhotite Trace amounts of pyrite, chalcopyrite, heazlewoodite, gersdorffite, polydymite, tochilinite, sphalerite and exsolved Co sulphides are also present.

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

CommodityUnits202320222021202020192018
Nickel kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe200205
All production numbers are expressed as concentrate.

Operational metrics

Metrics202320222021202020192018201720162015
Plant annual capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe11 Mt11 Mt11 Mt12 Mt11 Mt

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 18, 2023
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Aerial view:

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