Overview
Stage | Production |
Mine Type | Underground |
Commodities |
|
Mining Method |
|
Production Start | ...  |
Mine Life | 6 years (as of Jan 1, 2022) |
The Ernest Henry copper-gold operation is a large-scale, long-life asset.
On 6 January 2022, we acquired a transformational 100% ownership of Ernest Henry (economic effective date 1 January 2022) resulting in a material uplift in production and cash flow from this asset in FY22.
The Mine Extension Pre-feasibility Study from the 1,125RL to 775RL is progressing well and due for completion by December 2022. The study will benefit from the results of the current surface drilling programs targeting the ore body at a more optimal angle, and the updated Mineral Resource estimate at 30 June 2022, which resulted in a material increase (~24%) in the reported Mineral Resource to 88.3 million tonnes at 1.28% copper and 0.73g/t gold. |
Latest News | Evolution updates Ernest Henry mineral resource August 18, 2023 |
Source:
p. 1
Evolution acquired an economic interest in Ernest Henry in November 2016 for 100% of future gold and 30% of future copper and silver produced within an agreed life of mine area. Outside the life of mine area, Evolution’s interest was a 49% interest in future copper, gold and silver production from Ernest Henry.
On 17 November 2021, Evolution announced the acquisition of 100% of Ernest Henry. Evolution’s interest in Ernest Henry transitioned to 100% legal ownership of the underlying asset on 6 January 2022. The economic interest in Ernest Henry on a 100% basis transferred to Evolution on 1 January.
The Ernest Henry operations extend across eight (8) current mining leases all owned by Ernest Henry Mining Pty Ltd.
Contractors
- Subscription is required.
Deposit Type
- Breccia pipe / Stockwork
- IOCG
Summary:
The Ernest Henry Deposit is an Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) hosted within a sequence of moderately SSE-dipping, intensely altered Paleoproterozoic intermediate metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Mt Isa group. Copper occurs as chalcopyrite within the magnetite-biotitecalcite-pyrite matrix of a 250 x 300 m pipe like breccia body. The breccia pipe dips approximately 40 degrees to the South and is bounded on both the footwall and hanging wall by shear zones. The main orebody starts to split from the 1575 level into a South-East lens, and from the 1275 level into the South-West lens. Both lenses are separated from the main orebody by waste zones, termed the Interlens and South-West Shear Zone, respectively. The orebody is open at depth.
The Ernest Henry copper-gold deposit is hosted in a hydrothermal breccia pipe plunging at roughly 45 degrees to the south, bounded between two shear zones. At depth, the orientation of shearing appears to be having a greater effect on the orebody and the primary mineralised lenses are becoming more elongate north-south, separating into discrete pods and lenses.
The Ernest Henry deposit is hosted entirely in felsic intermediate metavolcanic rocks, within a unit of the Mount Fort Constantine Volcanics, circa 1800 to 1750 million years. Regionally these lithologies lie adjacent to a large meta-diorite body which traverses the deposit from the south-west to the north-east. Timing of mineralisation at the Ernest Henry d ........

Summary:
Ernest Henry is an underground mining operation employing sub-level caving ore extraction method. There is also an underground primary crusher and ore handling system. Ore is brought to surface via a 1,000m hoisting shaft with a hoisting capacity in excess of 6Mt ore per annum. The operation also has an effective and sophisticated above and below ground water management system.
The mine design uses 25 m sublevel spacing, 15 m drive spacing (centre to centre), 6 m wide cross cuts and a standard SLC drill and blast design. These design parameters are in line with benchmarked mines and assessed to be geotechnically stable.
A minimum mining width for cave propagation is in the order of 140 m based on empirical cavability assessments.
All major infrastructure for the mine has been constructed including underground crusher, conveyor system, hoisting shaft, pumping and ventilation systems. Access to the underground mine is via an in-pit portal and decline.
Source:

- subscription is required.
Flow Sheet:
Summary:

- subscription is required.
Production:
Evolution acquired an economic interest in Ernest Henry that will deliver 100% of future gold revenue and 30% of future copper and silver revenue produced from within an agreed life of mine area.
Commodity | Units | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Copper
|
t
| ...... ^ | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | 70,037 | 44,353 |
Gold
|
oz
| ...... ^ | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  |
Silver
|
oz
| | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  | ......  |
All production numbers are expressed as payable metal.
^ Guidance / Forecast.
- Subscription is required.
Operational Metrics:
Metrics | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Annual processing capacity
| ......  | ......  | 8.5 Mt | 11 Mt | 11 Mt | |
Ore tonnes mined
| ......  | ......  | 7,068 kt | 6,728 kt | 6,819 kt | 4,378 kt |
Tonnes processed
| ......  | ......  | 7,045 kt | 6,829 kt | 6,759 kt | 4,364 kt |
Annual production capacity
| ......  | ......  | | 350,000 t of copper-gold concentrate | 350,000 t of copper-gold concentrate | |
- Subscription is required.
Reserves at December 31, 2021:
Ernest Henry Operations reported Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve are above a 0.7% Cu cut-off.
Category | Tonnage | Commodity | Grade | Contained Metal |
Proven
|
9.8 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.41 %
|
139 kt
|
Proven
|
9.8 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.77 g/t
|
241 koz
|
Probable
|
19.2 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.68 %
|
130 kt
|
Probable
|
19.2 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.35 g/t
|
217 koz
|
Proven & Probable
|
29 Mt
|
Copper
|
0.93 %
|
269 kt
|
Proven & Probable
|
29 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.49 g/t
|
459 koz
|
Measured
|
13.3 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.25 %
|
165 kt
|
Measured
|
13.3 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.69 g/t
|
294 koz
|
Indicated
|
32.2 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.29 %
|
416 kt
|
Indicated
|
32.2 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.78 g/t
|
808 koz
|
Inferred
|
25.9 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.17 %
|
304 kt
|
Inferred
|
25.9 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.69 g/t
|
572 koz
|
Total Resource
|
71.4 Mt
|
Copper
|
1.24 %
|
885 kt
|
Total Resource
|
71.4 Mt
|
Gold
|
0.73 g/t
|
1,674 koz
|
Type | Material | Diameter | Length | Description |
HME Type | Model | Quantity | Ref. Date |
Concrete sprayer
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Drill (long hole)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Mar 24, 2022
|
Drill (long hole)
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Mar 24, 2022
|
Explosives Charger
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Grader
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Jumbo
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Mar 24, 2022
|
Loader
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Mar 24, 2022
|
Loader
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Mar 24, 2022
|
Loader
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Mar 24, 2022
|
Loader - Tool Carrier
|
.......................
|
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Loader - Tool Carrier
|
.......................
|
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
.......................
|
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Load-Haul-Dump (LHD)
|
.......................
|
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Scissor Lift
|
.......................
|
.......................
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Trans Mixer
|
|
.......................
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
Truck (underground)
|
|
.......................
|
Mar 24, 2022
|
Truck (water)
|
|
.......................
|
Jun 30, 2022
|
- Subscription is required.
Corporate Filings & Presentations:
- Subscription is required.
News:
- Subscription is required.