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 2021/2022
    Item Unit Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Total Ore Mined Tns 124,459 117,613 143,503 117,009
    Mine Grade Ni % 2.8%3.6%3.4%3.2%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 3,518 4,236 4,911 3,741
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 145,996 139,025 147,236 148,124
    Processed Grade Ni % 2.9%3.5%3.5%3.1%
    Average Processing Recovery % 84%89%90%84%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 3,535 4,267 4,622 3,804
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 3,336 3,962 4,147 3,962
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 2,633 2,429 2,772 2,073
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 4.72 4.00 3.80 4.90
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 4.67 4.07 3.84 4.95
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 3.41 3.15 2.96 3.63
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.73 0.77 0.77 0.73
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 10.52 10.07 10.49 11.90
  • 2020/2021 2021/2022
    Tonnes Mined Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Flying Fox
    High Grade Ore Mined tonnes 38,255 41,909 51,950 29,967
    Grade Ni % 2.5%3.8%3.7%3.1%
    Low Grade Ore Mined tonnes 13,721
    Grade Ni % 1.2%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 939 1,601 1,930 1,099
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 86,204 75,704 91,553 73,321
    Grade Ni % 3.0%3.5%3.3%3.6%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 2,579 2,635 2,981 2,642
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 124,459 117,613 143,503 117,009
    Grade Ni % 2.8%3.6%3.4%3.2%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 3,518 4,236 4,911 3,741
  • 2020/2021 2021/2022
    Tonnes Milled and Sold Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 145,996 139,025 147,236 148,124
    Grade % 2.9%3.5%3.5%3.1%
    Average Recovery % 84%89%90%84%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 3,535 4,267 4,622 3,804
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 3,336 3,962 4,147 3,962

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • Stockpiles Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Ore tonnes 60,659 43,103 43,320 23,277
    Grade % 3.4%3.5%3.1%3.0%
    Concentrate tonnes 3,911 6,367 10,263 9,273
    Grade % 15.2%14.4%13.9%14.9%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 2,633 2,429 2,772 2,073
  • 2020/2021 2021/2022
    Financial Statistics Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Sep Qtr
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 3.46 2.95 2.83 3.69
    Haulage A$/lb 0.09 0.07 0.07 0.09
    Milling A$/lb 0.85 0.72 0.66 0.83
    Admin A$/lb 0.32 0.26 0.24 0.29
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 4.72 4.00 3.80 4.90
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 4.67 4.07 3.84 4.95
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 3.41 3.15 2.96 3.63
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.73 0.77 0.77 0.73

    (*) 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$0.73)
    (***) 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.