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
18/19 19/20 YTD Item Unit Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Total Total Ore Mined Tns 141,595 133,312 147,356 144,932 292,288 Mine Grade Ni % 4.30% 4.10% 3.90% 4.00% 4.00% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 6,066 5,423 5,805 5,849 11,654 Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 146,935 152,329 149,729 143,409 293,138 Processed Grade Ni % 4.20% 4.00% 3.90% 4.20% 4.10% Average Mill Recovery % 88% 88% 89% 89% 89% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 5,448 5,433 5,259 5,399 10,658 Total Nickel Sold tonnes 5,189 5,890 5,051 3,982 9,033 Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 4,510 3,317 3,315 3,778 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 2.82 2.96 3.06 3.1 3.07 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate US$/lb 2.01 2.07 2.1 2.12 2.11 Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.71 0.7 0.69 0.68 0.69 Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 8.31 8.09 11.5 9.39 10.57 (*) Noting the export shipment missed the quarter end, leaving port on 1 January 2020
18/19 19/20 YTD Tonnes Mined Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Total Flying Fox Ore Mined tonnes 56,386 57,213 61,414 60,081 121,495 Grade Ni % 4.50% 4.20% 3.70% 4.50% 4.10% Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 2,550 2,381 2,280 2,712 4,992 Spotted Quoll Ore Mined tonnes 85,209 76,099 85,942 84,851 170,793 Grade Ni % 4.10% 4.00% 4.10% 3.70% 3.90% Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 3,516 3,042 3,525 3,137 6,662 Total Ore Mined tonnes 141,595 133,312 147,356 144,932 292,288 Grade Ni % 4.30% 4.10% 3.90% 4.00% 4.00% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 6,066 5,423 5,805 5,849 11,654 18/19 19/20 YTD Tonnes Milled and Sold Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Total Total Milled Ore tonnes 146,935 152,329 149,729 143,409 293,138 Grade % 4.20% 4.00% 3.90% 4.20% 4.10% Average Recovery % 88% 88% 89% 89% 89% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (i) tonnes 5,448 5,433 5,259 5,399 10,658 Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 5,189 5,890 5,051 3,991 9,042 (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.
(*) Noting the export shipment missed the quarter end, leaving port on 1 January 202018/19 19/20 Stockpiles Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Ore tonnes 96,114 77,098 75,638 77,426 Grade % 3.80% 3.80% 3.80% 3.50% Concentrate tonnes 5,481 2,390 2,584 11,146 Grade % 15.10% 15.10% 15.80% 14.80% Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 4,510 3,317 3,315 4,389 18/19 19/20 Financial Statistics Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr YTD Group Production Cost/lb Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 2.11 2.24 2.26 2.28 2.27 Haulage A$/lb 0.06 0.07 0.06 0.06 0.06 Milling A$/lb 0.48 0.46 0.55 0.53 0.54 Admin A$/lb 0.2 0.22 0.22 0.21 0.21 By Product Credits A$/lb -0.03 -0.03 -0.03 -0.02 -0.02 Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 2.82 2.96 3.06 3.06 3.06 Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb - - 3.06 3.1 3.07 Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 2.01 2.07 2.1 2.12 2.11 Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.71 0.7 0.69 0.68 0.69 (*) Mining Costs are net of deferred waste costs and inventory stockpile movements.
(**) US$ FX for Relevant Quarter is RBA ave daily rate (Dec Qtr = A$1:US$0.68)
(***) 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.