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
2018/2019 YTD Item Unit Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total Total Ore Mined Tns 141,567 139,528 141,595 133,312 556,002 Mine Grade Ni % 4.1% 4.2% 4.3% 4.1% 4.2% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,868 5,851 6,066 5,423 23,208 Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 156,706 154,517 146,935 152,329 610,487 Processed Grade Ni % 3.9% 4.0% 4.2% 4.0% 4.0% Average Mill Recovery % 89% 88% 88% 88% 88% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 5,379 5,415 5,448 5,433 21,675 Total Nickel Sold tonnes 5,018 5,386 5,189 5,890 21,483 Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 4,820 4,413 4,510 3,317 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 2.99 3.15 2.82 2.96 2.98 Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate US$/lb 2.19 2.26 2.01 2.07 2.13 Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.73 0.72 0.71 0.70 0.72 Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 7.91 7.01 8.31 7.66 7.72 2018/2019 YTD Tonnes Mined Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total Flying Fox Ore Mined tonnes 58,699 59,309 56,386 57,213 231,607 Grade Ni % 4.0% 4.3% 4.5% 4.2% 4.2% Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 2,330 2,574 2,550 2,381 9,835 Spotted Quoll Ore Mined tonnes 82,868 80,219 85,209 76,099 324,395 Grade Ni % 4.3% 4.1% 4.1% 4.0% 4.1% Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 3,538 3,277 3,516 3,042 13,373 Total Ore Mined tonnes 141,567 139,528 141,595 133,312 556,002 Grade Ni % 4.1% 4.2% 4.3% 4.1% 4.2% Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,868 5,851 6,066 5,423 23,208 2018/2019 YTD Tonnes Milled and Sold Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total Total Milled Ore tonnes 156,706 154,517 146,935 152,329 610,487 Grade % 3.9% 4.0% 4.2% 4.0% 4.0% Average Recovery % 89% 88% 88% 88% 88% Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (i) tonnes 5,379 5,415 5,448 5,433 21,675 Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 5,018 5,386 5,189 5,890 21,483 2018/2019 Stockpiles Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Ore tonnes 118,549 101,455 96,114 77,098 Grade % 3.5% 3.7% 3.8% 3.8% Concentrate tonnes 4,462 4,093 5,481 2,390 Grade % 15.4% 15.6% 15.1% 15.1% Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 4,820 4,413 4,510 3,317 2018/2019 Financial Statistics Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr YTD Group Production Cost/lb Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 2.24 2.38 2.11 2.24 2.24 Haulage A$/lb 0.07 0.07 0.06 0.07 0.07 Milling A$/lb 0.49 0.51 0.48 0.46 0.48 Admin A$/lb 0.22 0.22 0.20 0.22 0.22 By Product Credits A$/lb (0.03) (0.03) (0.03) (0.03) (0.03) Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 2.99 3.15 2.82 2.96 2.98 Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 2.19 2.26 2.01 2.07 2.13 Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.73 0.72 0.71 0.70 0.72
