Coolgardie Gold Mine
Encyclopedia
The Coolgardie Gold Mine is a gold mine
located at Coolgardie
, Western Australia
. The Coolgardie Gold Mine is not one single mine, but rather a generic term to describe a diverse group of mines - in essence, a mining locality.
It is currently owned by Focus Minerals Limited, which also owns the nearby Nepean Nickel Mine, which closed in 1987.
In the recent past, mining in Coolgardie was carried out by Goldfan, a wholly owned subsidiary of parent company Herald Resources Limited beginning in 1990 with the commissioning of the Three Mile Hill gold processing plant, which ceased production in 1999, but resumed mining in July 2002 after discovering high-grade ore at its Empress deposit. In 2003, Herald sold 50 % of its interest at Coolgardie to MPI/Pittston for A$3.475 million.
In February 2005, Herald Resources sold their remaining mining leases to the Redemption Joint Venture, a partnership of Austminex and Matador. During 2005, Austminex changed its name to Focus Minerals while Matador merged with Committee Bay Resources. The sale was completed in August 2005, and the mine closed.
The mine became fully owned by Focus Minerals in May 2008, when the former bought Canadian
partner Committee Bay Resources out of the Redemption Joint Venture for Aus $ 36.6 million.
In its current incarnation, under Focus Minerals, the mine once more resumed production in April 2008, now mining the high-grade Perseverance deposit, after achieving good drilling results. Focus had caused an uproar in Coolgardie in July 2007, when the local shire took objection to a prospecting application from the company because it believed it took in the town site.
After initially treating its ore at the Higginsville Mining-owned Greenfields plant, Focus is transitioning processing to its 100% owned Three Mile Hill facility located close by. In May 2009, Como Engineers began an extensive refurbishment program at Three Mile Hill, which was completed in December 2009. While the basic milling circuit remained the same, significant upgrades took place with the removal and replacement of all three crushers, the installation of a cutting-edge Gekko & Falcon gravity circuit and the installation of brand new elution, carbon regeneration and gold smelting areas.
Commissioning began in December 2009, with the first bar of gold being successfully poured on the 13 January 2010. On 27 January, Focus announced it would toll-treat ore from the White Foil Gold Mine
, owned by La Mancha, in 2010.
Focus placed a friendly takeover offer for Crescent Gold Limited, owner of the Laverton Gold Mine
in June 2011 which would place the company in the top-five of the Australian gold producers with an annual production of 230,000 ounces. The bid values Crescent at A$66 million.
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
located at Coolgardie
Coolgardie, Western Australia
Coolgardie is a small town in the Australian state of Western Australia, east of the state capital, Perth. It has a population of approximately 800 people....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The Coolgardie Gold Mine is not one single mine, but rather a generic term to describe a diverse group of mines - in essence, a mining locality.
It is currently owned by Focus Minerals Limited, which also owns the nearby Nepean Nickel Mine, which closed in 1987.
History
Historically, more than 2.6 million ounces of gold have been produced from the Coolgardie gold belt since mining commenced in 1892.In the recent past, mining in Coolgardie was carried out by Goldfan, a wholly owned subsidiary of parent company Herald Resources Limited beginning in 1990 with the commissioning of the Three Mile Hill gold processing plant, which ceased production in 1999, but resumed mining in July 2002 after discovering high-grade ore at its Empress deposit. In 2003, Herald sold 50 % of its interest at Coolgardie to MPI/Pittston for A$3.475 million.
In February 2005, Herald Resources sold their remaining mining leases to the Redemption Joint Venture, a partnership of Austminex and Matador. During 2005, Austminex changed its name to Focus Minerals while Matador merged with Committee Bay Resources. The sale was completed in August 2005, and the mine closed.
The mine became fully owned by Focus Minerals in May 2008, when the former bought Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
partner Committee Bay Resources out of the Redemption Joint Venture for Aus $ 36.6 million.
In its current incarnation, under Focus Minerals, the mine once more resumed production in April 2008, now mining the high-grade Perseverance deposit, after achieving good drilling results. Focus had caused an uproar in Coolgardie in July 2007, when the local shire took objection to a prospecting application from the company because it believed it took in the town site.
After initially treating its ore at the Higginsville Mining-owned Greenfields plant, Focus is transitioning processing to its 100% owned Three Mile Hill facility located close by. In May 2009, Como Engineers began an extensive refurbishment program at Three Mile Hill, which was completed in December 2009. While the basic milling circuit remained the same, significant upgrades took place with the removal and replacement of all three crushers, the installation of a cutting-edge Gekko & Falcon gravity circuit and the installation of brand new elution, carbon regeneration and gold smelting areas.
Commissioning began in December 2009, with the first bar of gold being successfully poured on the 13 January 2010. On 27 January, Focus announced it would toll-treat ore from the White Foil Gold Mine
White Foil Gold Mine
The White Foil Gold Mine is a gold mine 23 km south-west of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. It is currently owned by La Mancha Resources and has been in care and maintenance since 2003, but is scheduled to reopen in March 2010....
, owned by La Mancha, in 2010.
Focus placed a friendly takeover offer for Crescent Gold Limited, owner of the Laverton Gold Mine
Laverton Gold Mine
The Laverton Gold Mine is a gold mine 9 km east of Laverton, Western Australia. It is currently owned by Crescent Gold Limited and has recommenced mining in August 2009, after having been shut for just over one year...
in June 2011 which would place the company in the top-five of the Australian gold producers with an annual production of 230,000 ounces. The bid values Crescent at A$66 million.
Production
Production of the mine:| Year | Production | Grade |
Cost per ounce |
| 1997 | 97,910 ounces | 2.36 g/t | A$ 440 |
| 1998 | 55,073 ounces | 1.42 g/t | A$ 440 |
| 1999 | 8,213 ounces | 0.9 g/t | A$ 498 |
| 1999–2002 | inactive | ||
| 2002-03 | 23,030 ounces | 1.97 g/t | A$ |
| 2003-04 | 66,852 ounces | 2.51 g/t | A$ 500 |
| 2004-05 | 64,670 ounces | 2.44 g/t | A$ 478 |
| 2005–2008 | inactive | ||
| 2007-08 | 4,456 ounces | 9 g/t | A$ 467 |
| 2008-09 | 41,401 ounces | 5.43 g/t | A$ 603 |
| 2009-10 | 62,300 ounces | 3.7 g/t | A$ 792 |
| 2010-11 | 72,832 ounces | g/t | A$ |
Sources
- The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition, Louthean Media Pty Ltd, Editor: Ross Louthean
- Western Australian Mineral and Petroleum Statistics Digest 2008 Page 34: Principal Mineral and Petroleum Producers - Gold