Photo by: Bloomberg
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Iron-ore miner Atlas Iron has officially opened its Mt Webber mine, in the Pilbara.
The Mt Webber operation is the fifth mine Atlas has developed, and is expected to produce at a nominal rate of three-million tonnes a year, ramping up to six-million tonnes a year following the commissioning of the second phase expansion by the end of the December quarter.
The project started mining in December last year, and crushing and screening operations were commissioned in June. Haulage operations from Mt Webber are expected to start by July 18.
Atlas MD Ken Brinsden said that the Mt Webber project was one of the company’s lowest-cost mine developments with a capital efficiency of some A$35/t of production, and competitive operating costs.
“These lower capital and operating costs continue to improve our already-strong position in the global cost curve, and against our peers in Australia.”
He noted that the opening of the Mt Webber Stage 1 project marked the completion of the bulk of the Horizon 1 development programme for Atlas, which would now focus on optimising its production across all of its mines, and to further drive down costs.
Brinsden pointed out that the A$212-million capital cost of the Mt Webber project included a substantial contribution towards road upgrades in the region, which would benefit all road users.
“Key attributes that contribute to the success of Atlas are genuine commitment to our communities, along with a willingness to form mutually beneficial partnerships with others,” he added.