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 2020/2021
    Item Unit Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Total Ore Mined Tns 144,932 142,056 160,858 137,280
    Mine Grade Ni % 4.0%4.2%3.6%3.0%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,849 5,896 5,841 4,147
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 143,409 142,200 151,302 148,801
    Processed Grade Ni % 4.2%4.1%3.8%3.0%
    Average Processing Recovery % 89%89%89%85%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 5,399 5,154 5,114 3,756
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 3,991 6,038 4,777 4,064
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 4,389 3,456 3,738 3,099
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 3.06 3.07 3.17 4.44
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 3.10 3.14 3.23 4.46
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 2.12 2.07 2.12 3.17
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.68 0.66 0.66 0.71
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 7.01 8.31 8.09 9.28
  • 2019/2020 2020/2021
    Tonnes Mined Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Flying Fox
    Ore Mined tonnes 60,081 63,501 69,398 44,359
    Grade Ni % 4.5%4.3%3.4%2.9%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 2,712 2,754 2,343 1,269
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 84,851 78,555 91,460 92,921
    Grade Ni % 3.7%4.0%3.8%3.1%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 3,137 3,142 3,498 2,878
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 144,932 142,056 160,858 137,280
    Grade Ni % 4.0%4.2%3.6%3.0%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,849 5,896 5,841 4,147
  • 2019/2020 2020/2021
    Tonnes Milled and Sold Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 143,409 142,200 151,302 148,801
    Grade % 4.2%4.1%3.8%3.0%
    Average Recovery % 89%89%89%85%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 5,399 5,154 5,114 3,756
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 3,991 6,038 4,777 4,064
    - - -

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • Stockpiles Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Ore tonnes 77,426 80,581 90,136 78,615
    Grade % 3.5%3.6%3.3%3.4%
    Concentrate tonnes 11,146 3,668 4,987 2,575
    Grade % 14.8%15.4%15.2%15.9%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 4,389 3,456 3,738 3,099
  • 2019/2020 2020/2021
    Financial Statistics Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 2.28 2.25 2.34 3.24
    Haulage A$/lb 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.08
    Milling A$/lb 0.53 0.55 0.53 0.83
    Admin A$/lb 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.29
    By Product Credits A$/lb (0.02) (0.01) - -
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 3.06 3.07 3.17 4.44
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 3.10 3.14 3.23 4.46
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 2.12 2.07 2.12 3.17
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.68 0.66 0.66 0.71

    (*) Mining Costs are net of deferred waste costs and inventory stockpile movements.
    (**) US$ FX for Relevant Quarter is RBA ave daily rate (Sep Qtr = A$1:US$0.71)
    (***) 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.