Name of the Project
Prominent Hill copper/gold/silver mine expansion.

Location
Gawler Craton, in South Australia.

Project Owner/s
BHP. The mine was acquired from OZ Minerals in May 2023.

Project Description
The Wira hoisting shaft system will extend the Prominent Hill mine life from nine to 15 years, until 2036, at 6.5-million tonnes a year.

The project proposes the installation of a 1 360 m, 7.5-m-diameter vertical shaft, which will provide access to the deeper orebody beneath the current ore reserves boundary and exploration opportunities beyond the current mineral resource limits.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
A$600-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not confirmed.

Latest Developments
Shaft sinking is 40% complete. 

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
AECOM Australia, AGC Consulting, AMC Consultants, Ausenco, BBE Consulting, Beck Engineering Australasia, Boart Longyear, Byrnecut, Coffey, Convergen, D Why, EMM, Emtek, Golders, John Thompson Inclusive, Keaveney Consulting, Land and Water Consulting, Loesche, MCA, Mine Fill Services, Minset, More Space for Light, Newcrest Telfer Operations, Newmont Tanami Operations, Noble Environs, Pete Holliday, Redpath, Pells Sullivan Meynink, RUC, SAGE Automation, SRK Consulting, Stantec International Consulting, Strategy Focused Innovation, Woodgrove and Xylem Water Solutions (expansion study); and Hatch, IA Engineering, Optiro, SimSAGe, Stantec International Consulting, Strategy Focused Innovation and SRK International (peer review).

Contact Details for Project Information
BHP, tel +61 3 9609 3333.