What We Do

Flying Fox

Flying Fox is Western Areas first producing underground mine and remains one of the highest grade nickel mines in the world. Production commenced in 2006, and the underground mine now operates at depths of over 1km underground.

The Flying Fox orebody extends from 250m to 1.2km below the surface and includes discrete independent orebodies with possible extensions at depth. The primary stoping method used is ‘top-down’ long-hole stoping using paste-fill to attempt 100% recovery of the high-grade orebody. In the narrower sections of the orebody both modified Avoca with unconsolidated and cemented rock-fill are used.

PRODUCTION STATISTICS

  • 2019/2020 YTD
    Item Unit Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total
    Total Ore Mined Tns 147,356 144,932 142,056 160,858 595,202
    Mine Grade Ni % 3.9%4.0%4.2%3.6%3.9%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,805 5,849 5,896 5,841 23,391
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 149,729 143,409 142,200 151,302 586,640
    Processed Grade Ni % 3.9%4.2%4.1%3.8%4.0%
    Average Processing Recovery % 89%89%89%89%89%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 5,259 5,399 5,154 5,114 20,926
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 5,051 3,991 6,038 4,777 19,857
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 3,315 4,389 3,456 3,738
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 3.06 3.06 3.07 3.17 3.09
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) A$/lb 3.06 3.10 3.14 3.23 3.13
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 2.09 2.12 2.07 2.12 2.10
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.69 0.68 0.66 0.66 0.68
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 11.50 9.39 8.40 8.50 9.38
  • 2019/2020 YTD
    Tonnes Mined Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total
    Flying Fox
    Ore Mined tonnes 61,414 60,081 63,501 69,398 254,394
    Grade Ni % 3.7%4.5%4.3%3.4%4.0%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 2,280 2,712 2,754 2,343 10,089
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 85,942 84,851 78,555 91,460 340,808
    Grade Ni % 4.1%3.7%4.0%3.8%3.9%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 3,525 3,137 3,142 3,498 13,302
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 147,356 144,932 142,056 160,858 595,202
    Grade Ni % 3.9%4.0%4.2%3.6%3.9%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,805 5,849 5,896 5,841 23,391
  • 2019/2020 YTD
    Tonnes Milled and Sold Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 149,729 143,409 142,200 151,302 586,640
    Grade % 3.9%4.2%4.1%3.8%4.0%
    Average Recovery % 89%89%89%89%89%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 5,259 5,399 5,154 5,114 20,926
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 5,051 3,991 6,038 4,777 19,857

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • Stockpiles Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr
    Ore tonnes 75,638 77,426 80,581 90,136
    Grade % 3.8%3.5%3.6%3.3%
    Concentrate tonnes 2,875 11,146 3,668 4,987
    Grade % 15.8%14.8%15.4%15.2%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 3,315 4,389 3,456 3,738
  • 2019/2020
    Financial Statistics Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr YTD
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 2.26 2.28 2.25 2.34 2.28
    Haulage A$/lb 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.06
    Milling A$/lb 0.55 0.53 0.55 0.53 0.54
    Admin A$/lb 0.22 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.22
    By Product Credits A$/lb (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) - (0.01)
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 3.06 3.06 3.07 3.17 3.09
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 3.06 3.10 3.14 3.23 3.13
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 2.09 2.12 2.07 2.12 2.10
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.69 0.68 0.66 0.66 0.68

    (*) Mining Costs are net of deferred waste costs and inventory stockpile movements.
    (**) US$ FX for Relevant Quarter is RBA ave daily rate (Jun Qtr = A$1:US$0.66)
    (***) Payable terms are not disclosed due to confidentiality conditions of the offtake agreements. Cash costs exclude royalties and concentrate logistics costs.
    Note: Grade and recovery estimates are subject to change until the final assay data are received.