PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Nickel miner Western Areas’ Spotted Quoll mine, in Western Australia, set a production record during the three months to March, delivering 82 711 t of ore at an average grade of 4.7% nickel.
The Spotted Quoll mine delivered 3 922 t of nickel during the quarter under review, while the Flying Fox mine, also in Western Australia, delivered another 2 876 t of nickel, to bring Western Areas’ March quarter production to 6 798 t.
The March quarter production was slightly lower than the 6 917 t achieved in the previous quarter, but was in line with full-year guidance, Western Areas reported on Friday.
Mill throughput during the quarter reached 156 190 t of ore, at an average grade of 4.4% nickel for 6 180 t of nickel.
A total of 39 873 t of concentrate was delivered for sale, containing 6 003 t of nickel, with average realised nickel prices reaching A$5.40/lb during the quarter.
Ore stockpiles at the end of the quarter totalled 70 307 t, grading at 3.6% nickel for 2 527 t of contained nickel.
Meanwhile, unit cash costs for the quarter reached A$2.27/lb, which continued to track at the lower end of the cost guidance range of between A$2.25/lb and A$2.45/lb.