Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Mt Keith Mine

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Categories

Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusInactive / Suspended
Commodities
  • Nickel
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
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Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Mt Keith mine is a part of Nickel West Operation.

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.

The Nickel West Operation and the West Musgrave project, transitioned into temporary suspension at the end of the first half of FY2025. The decision to temporarily suspend Western Australia Nickel, announced on 11 July 2024, follows oversupply in the global nickel market.

The BHP intends to review the decision to temporarily suspend Western Australia Nickel by February 2027.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnershipInvestor's Info
BHP Group Ltd. 100 % Indirect
BHP Billiton Nickel West Pty Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
The Mt Keith mine is wholly owned and operated by BHP 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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Heavy Mobile Equipment

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Comminution

Crushers and Mills

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Processing

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Commodity Production

CommodityUnits2024202320222021202020192018
Nickel kt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe200205
All production numbers are expressed as concentrate.

Operational metrics

Metrics20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
Plant annual capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe11 Mt11 Mt11 Mt12 Mt11 Mt

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 6, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 6, 2025

Workforce

Aerial view:

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