PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Mincor Resources has officially opened its Cassini nickel mine, in Western Australia, marking a key milestone to reaching commercial nickel production early next year.
“This is a tremendous milestone for Mincor, for our employees, shareholders, suppliers, strategic partners and other key stakeholders, and for the Kambalda nickel district more broadly,” said Mincor MD David Southam.
“The official opening of the first new nickel sulphide mine in the region in over a decade is a proud moment, and one that signals the start of a new chapter for this world-renowned nickel district.”
First nickel concentrate from Cassini is expected in the first quarter of 2022, ushering in an exciting new era of nickel mining in Kambalda and, in the process, transforming Mincor into a new-generation high-grade nickel sulphide producer, the miner said on Tuesday.
A previously completed definitive feasibility study found that production would ramp-up to around 16 000 t/y of nickel-in-concentrate, with ore from two underground mines, including Cassini and the Northern Operations, comprising the Durkin North and Long mines, to be processed at diversified miner BHP’s Kambalda nickel concentrator.
The nickel concentrate would then be sold to BHP.
The development of the Kambalda nickel operations involves a pre-production capital investment of A$68-million and is expected to create more than 200 long-term direct jobs during operations with more than 95% of this expenditure being spent in Western Australia, Mincor said.