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

  • 2020/2021 YTD
    Item Unit Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Ore Mined Tns 137,280 124,459 117,613 379,352
    Mine Grade Ni % 3.0%2.8%3.6%3.1%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 4,147 3,518 4,236 11,901
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 148,801 145,996 139,025 433,822
    Processed Grade Ni % 3.0%2.9%3.5%3.1%
    Average Processing Recovery % 85%84%89%86%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 3,756 3,535 4,267 11,558
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 4,064 3,336 3,962 11,362
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 3,096 2,633 2,429
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 4.44 4.72 4.00 4.37
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 4.46 4.67 4.07 4.38
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 3.17 3.41 3.15 3.24
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.71 0.73 0.77 0.74
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 9.28 10.52 10.07 9.92
  • 2020/2021 YTD
    Tonnes Mined Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Flying Fox
    Ore Mined tonnes 44,359 38,255 41,909 124,523
    Grade Ni % 2.9%2.5%3.8%3.1%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 1,269 939 1,601 3,809
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 92,921 86,204 75,704 254,829
    Grade Ni % 3.1%3.0%3.5%3.2%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 2,878 2,579 2,635 8,092
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 137,280 124,459 117,613 379,352
    Grade Ni % 3.0%2.8%3.6%3.1%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 4,147 3,518 4,236 11,901
  • 2020/2021 YTD
    Tonnes Milled and Sold Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 148,801 145,996 139,025 433,822
    Grade % 3.0%2.9%3.5%3.1%
    Average Recovery % 85%84%89%86%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 3,756 3,535 4,267 11,558
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 4,064 3,336 3,962 11,362

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • Stockpiles Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr
    Ore tonnes 78,615 60,659 43,103
    Grade % 3.4%3.4%3.5%
    Concentrate tonnes 2,575 3,911 6,367
    Grade % 15.9%15.2%14.4%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 3,096 2,633 2,429
  • 2020/2021
    Financial Statistics Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr YTD
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 3.24 3.46 2.95 3.20
    Haulage A$/lb 0.08 0.09 0.07 0.08
    Milling A$/lb 0.83 0.85 0.72 0.80
    Admin A$/lb 0.29 0.32 0.26 0.29
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 4.44 4.72 4.00 4.37
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 4.46 4.67 4.07 4.38
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 3.17 3.41 3.15 3.24
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.71 0.73 0.77 0.74

    (*) Mining Costs are net of deferred waste costs and inventory stockpile movements.
    (**) US$ FX for Relevant Quarter is RBA ave daily rate (Mar Qtr = A$1:US$0.77)
    (***) 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.