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

  • FY 21 FY 22 YTD
    Item Unit YTD Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Ore Mined Tns 522,855 117,009 123,671 102,848 343,528
    Mine Grade Ni % 3.2%3.2%3.4%3.2%3.3%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 16,812 3,741 4,200 3,254 11,195
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 581,058 148,124 151,417 150,104 449,645
    Processed Grade Ni % 3.2%3.1%3.1%2.6%2.9%
    Average Processing Recovery % 87%84%86%84%85%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 16,180 3,804 4,025 3,339 11,168
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 15,509 3,962 4,511 3,412 11,885
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 2,772 2,079 1,442 1,023
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 4.20 4.90 4.88 5.48 5.07
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 4.23 4.95 4.87 5.52 5.10
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 3.16 3.63 3.55 3.99 3.71
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.75 0.73 0.73 0.72 0.73
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 10.07 11.90 13.16 18.44 14.26
  • FY 21 FY 22 YTD
    Tonnes Mined YTD Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Flying Fox
    High Grade Ore Mined tonnes 176,473 29,967 43,794 38,254 112,015
    Grade Ni % 3.3%3.1%2.4%2.2%2.5%
    Low Grade Ore Mined tonnes 13,721 998 342 15,061
    Grade Ni % 1.2%1.2%1.2%1.2%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 5,739 1,099 1,077 853 3,029
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 346,382 73,321 78,879 64,252 216,452
    Grade Ni % 3.2%3.6%4.0%3.7%3.8%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 11,073 2,642 3,123 2,401 8,166
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 522,855 117,009 123,671 102,848 343,528
    Grade Ni % 3.2%3.2%3.4%3.2%3.3%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 16,812 3,741 4,200 3,254 11,195
  • FY 21 FY 22 YTD
    Tonnes Milled and Sold YTD Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 581,058 148,124 151,417 150,104 449,645
    Grade % 3.2%3.1%3.1%2.6%2.9%
    Average Recovery % 87%84%86%84%85%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 16,180 3,804 4,025 3,339 11,168
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 15,509 3,962 4,511 3,412 11,885

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • FY 21
    Stockpiles YTD Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr
    Ore tonnes 43,320 23,277 13,497 6,090
    Grade % 3.1%3.0%3.1%3.1%
    Concentrate tonnes 10,263 9,273 7,115 6,091
    Grade % 13.9%14.9%14.3%13.7%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 2,772 2,079 1,442 1,023
  • FY 21 FY 22
    Financial Statistics YTD Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr YTD
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 3.09 3.69 3.73 3.91 3.77
    Haulage A$/lb 0.08 0.09 0.08 0.10 0.09
    Milling A$/lb 0.76 0.83 0.76 1.10 0.89
    Admin A$/lb 0.27 0.29 0.31 0.37 0.32
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 4.20 4.90 4.88 5.48 5.07
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 4.23 4.95 4.87 5.52 5.10
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 3.16 3.63 3.55 3.99 3.71
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.75 0.73 0.73 0.72 0.73

    (*) 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$0.72)
    (***) 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.