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 Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Ore Mined Tns 133,312 147,356 144,932 142,056 434,344
    Mine Grade Ni % 4.1%3.9%4.0%4.2%4.0%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,423 5,805 5,849 5,896 17,550
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 152,329 149,729 143,409 142,200 435,338
    Processed Grade Ni % 4.0%3.9%4.2%4.1%4.1%
    Average Mill Recovery % 88%89%89%89%89%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 5,433 5,259 5,399 5,154 15,812
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 5,890 5,051 3,991 6,038 15,080
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 3,317 3,315 4,389 3,456
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 2.96 3.06 3.06 3.07 3.07
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 2.96 3.06 3.10 3.14 3.10
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP US$/lb 2.07 2.10 2.12 2.07 2.10
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.70 0.69 0.68 0.66 0.68
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 8.09 11.50 9.39 8.40 9.68
  • 2019/2020 YTD
    Tonnes Mined Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Flying Fox
    Ore Mined tonnes 57,213 61,414 60,081 63,501 184,996
    Grade Ni % 4.2%3.7%4.5%4.3%4.2%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 2,381 2,280 2,712 2,754 7,746
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 76,099 85,942 84,851 78,555 249,348
    Grade Ni % 4.0%4.1%3.7%4.0%3.9%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 3,042 3,525 3,137 3,142 9,804
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 133,312 147,356 144,932 142,056 434,344
    Grade Ni % 4.1%3.9%4.0%4.2%4.0%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,423 5,805 5,849 5,896 17,550
  • 2019/2020 YTD
    Tonnes Milled and Sold Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 152,329 149,729 143,409 142,200 435,338
    Grade % 4.0%3.9%4.2%4.1%4.1%
    Average Recovery % 88%89%89%89%89%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 5,433 5,259 5,399 5,154 15,812
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 5,890 5,051 3,991 6,038 15,080

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • 2019/2020
    Stockpiles Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr
    Ore tonnes 77,098 75,638 77,426 80,581
    Grade % 3.8%3.8%3.5%3.6%
    Concentrate tonnes 2,390 2,584 11,146 3,668
    Grade % 15.1%15.8%14.8%15.4%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 3,317 3,315 4,389 3,456
  • 2019/2020
    Financial Statistics Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr YTD
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 2.24 2.26 2.28 2.25 2.26
    Haulage A$/lb 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06
    Milling A$/lb 0.46 0.55 0.53 0.55 0.54
    Admin A$/lb 0.22 0.22 0.21 0.22 0.22
    By Product Credits A$/lb (0.03) (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01)
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 2.96 3.06 3.06 3.07 3.07
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb - 3.06 3.10 3.14 3.10
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 2.07 2.10 2.12 2.07 2.10
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.70 0.69 0.68 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 (Mar 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.