WHAT WE DO

Spotted Quoll

Spotted Quoll is Western Areas’ second mine and was discovered in October 2007, as a result of Western Areas ongoing investment in regional and near-mine exploration.

Spotted Quoll has high nickel grades also making it one of the world’s highest-grade nickel mines.

The Spotted Quoll orebody is open at depth with the mine currently planned to just over 1km below the surface.  The primary stoping method is a ‘top-down’ mining method using long-hole open stoping with paste fill.  The narrower and shallower areas are mined using top-down narrow vein techniques. Currently Spotted Quoll has a mine life exceeding six years, based on current reserves.

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.