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

  • 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.