Photo by: Bloomberg
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Nickel miner Western Areas has exceeded its cost and production expectations for the full year ended June, with the miner on Tuesday reporting a 7.4% decline in unit cash costs to A$2.50/lb, on the full-year guidance of A$2.70/lb.
Full-year mine production increased to 598 959 t of ore, at an average grade of 4.8% nickel for 28 686 t of nickel contained, which was 1 686 t ahead of the firm’s guidance.
The Spotted Quoll operation, in Western Australia, delivered record yearly production of 13 973 t of nickel, with the Flying Fox operation, also in Western Australia, contributing a further 14 713 t.
Full-year nickel-in-concentrate production at the Cosmic Boy concentrator was also ahead of the guidance, with the concentrator processing 598 152 t of ore to deliver 25 700 t of concentrate.
At the end of the quarter ended June, 137 889 t of ore, at an average grade of 3.8% nickel containing over 5 274 t of nickel was stockpiled at the Cosmic Boy site, and was awaiting treatment at the concentrator.
The current stockpile presented around three months of mill feed, and enabled Western Areas to select an optimal mill feed blend.