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 Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Total Total Ore Mined Tns 142,056 160,858 137,280 124,459 261,739 Mine Grade Ni % 4.2% 3.6% 3.0% 2.8% 2.9% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,896 5,841 4,147 3,518 7,665 Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 142,200 151,302 148,801 145,996 294,797 Processed Grade Ni % 4.1% 3.8% 3.0% 2.9% 2.9% Average Processing Recovery % 89% 89% 85% 84% 84% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 5,154 5,114 3,756 3,535 7,291 Total Nickel Sold tonnes 6,038 4,777 4,064 3,336 7,400 Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 3,456 3,738 3,096 2,633 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 3.07 3.17 4.44 4.72 4.59 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 3.14 3.23 4.46 4.67 4.56 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 2.07 2.12 3.17 3.41 3.29 Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.66 0.66 0.71 0.73 0.72 Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 8.40 8.64 9.28 10.31 9.75 2020/2021 YTD Tonnes Mined Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Total Flying Fox Ore Mined tonnes 63,501 69,398 44,359 38,255 82,614 Grade Ni % 4.3% 3.4% 2.9% 2.5% 2.7% Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 2,754 2,343 1,269 939 2,208 Spotted Quoll Ore Mined tonnes 78,555 91,460 92,921 86,204 179,125 Grade Ni % 4.0% 3.8% 3.1% 3.0% 3.0% Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 3,142 3,498 2,878 2,579 5,457 Total Ore Mined tonnes 142,056 160,858 137,280 124,459 261,739 Grade Ni % 4.2% 3.6% 3.0% 2.8% 2.9% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,896 5,841 4,147 3,518 7,665 2020/2021 YTD Tonnes Milled and Sold Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Total Total Milled Ore tonnes 142,200 151,302 148,801 145,996 294,797 Grade % 4.1% 3.8% 3.0% 2.9% 2.9% Average Recovery % 89% 89% 85% 84% 84% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 5,154 5,114 3,756 3,535 7,291 Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 6,038 4,777 4,064 3,336 7,400 (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.
Stockpiles Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Ore tonnes 80,581 90,136 78,615 60,659 Grade % 3.6% 3.3% 3.4% 3.4% Concentrate tonnes 3,668 4,987 2,575 3,911 Grade % 15.4% 15.2% 15.9% 15.2% Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 3,456 3,738 3,096 2,633 2020/2021 Financial Statistics Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr Dec Qtr YTD Group Production Cost/lb Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 2.25 2.34 3.24 3.46 3.35 Haulage A$/lb 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.09 Milling A$/lb 0.55 0.53 0.83 0.85 0.84 Admin A$/lb 0.22 0.23 0.29 0.32 0.31 By Product Credits A$/lb (0.01) - - - - Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 3.07 3.17 4.44 4.72 4.59 Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 3.14 3.23 4.46 4.67 4.56 Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 2.07 2.12 3.17 3.41 3.29 Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.66 0.66 0.71 0.73 0.72 (*) 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$0.73)
(***) 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.