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 Jun Qtr Total Total Ore Mined Tns 137,280 124,459 117,613 143,503 522,855 Mine Grade Ni % 3.0% 2.8% 3.6% 3.4% 3.2% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 4,147 3,518 4,236 4,911 16,812 Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 148,801 145,996 139,025 147,236 581,058 Processed Grade Ni % 3.0% 2.9% 3.5% 3.5% 3.2% Average Processing Recovery % 85% 84% 89% 90% 87% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 3,756 3,535 4,267 4,622 16,180 Total Nickel Sold tonnes 4,064 3,336 3,962 4,147 15,509 Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 3,096 2,633 2,429 2,772 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 4.44 4.72 4.00 3.74 4.19 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 4.46 4.67 4.07 3.79 4.21 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 3.17 3.41 3.15 2.92 3.15 Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.71 0.73 0.77 0.77 0.75 Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 9.28 10.52 10.07 10.42 10.06 2020/2021 YTD Tonnes Mined Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total Flying Fox Ore Mined tonnes 44,359 38,255 41,909 51,950 176,473 Grade Ni % 2.9% 2.5% 3.8% 3.7% 3.3% Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 1,269 939 1,601 1,930 5,739 Spotted Quoll Ore Mined tonnes 92,921 86,204 75,704 91,553 346,382 Grade Ni % 3.1% 3.0% 3.5% 3.3% 3.2% Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 2,878 2,579 2,635 2,981 11,073 Total Ore Mined tonnes 137,280 124,459 117,613 143,503 522,855 Grade Ni % 3.0% 2.8% 3.6% 3.4% 3.2% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 4,147 3,518 4,236 4,911 16,812 2020/2021 YTD Tonnes Milled and Sold Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total Total Milled Ore tonnes 148,801 145,996 139,025 147,236 581,058 Grade % 3.0% 2.9% 3.5% 3.5% 3.2% Average Recovery % 85% 84% 89% 90% 87% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 3,756 3,535 4,267 4,622 16,180 Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 4,064 3,336 3,962 4,147 15,509 - - - - (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.
Stockpiles Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Ore tonnes 78,615 60,659 43,103 43,320 Grade % 3.4% 3.4% 3.5% 3.1% Concentrate tonnes 2,575 3,911 6,367 10,263 Grade % 15.9% 15.2% 14.4% 13.9% Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 3,096 2,633 2,429 2,772 2020/2021 Financial Statistics Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr YTD Group Production Cost/lb Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 3.24 3.46 2.95 2.83 3.09 Haulage A$/lb 0.08 0.09 0.07 0.07 0.08 Milling A$/lb 0.83 0.85 0.72 0.62 0.75 Admin A$/lb 0.29 0.32 0.26 0.22 0.27 Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 4.44 4.72 4.00 3.74 4.19 Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 4.46 4.67 4.07 3.79 4.21 Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 3.17 3.41 3.15 2.92 3.15 Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.71 0.73 0.77 0.77 0.75 (*) Mining Costs are net of deferred waste costs and inventory stockpile movements.
(**) US$ FX for Relevant Quarter is RBA ave daily rate (Jun 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.