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 YTD
    Item Unit Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total
    Total Ore Mined Tns 147,356 144,932 142,056 160,858 595,202
    Mine Grade Ni % 3.9%4.0%4.2%3.6%3.9%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,805 5,849 5,896 5,841 23,391
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 149,729 143,409 142,200 151,302 586,640
    Processed Grade Ni % 3.9%4.2%4.1%3.8%4.0%
    Average Processing Recovery % 89%89%89%89%89%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 5,259 5,399 5,154 5,114 20,926
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 5,051 3,991 6,038 4,777 19,857
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 3,315 4,389 3,456 3,738
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 3.06 3.06 3.07 3.17 3.09
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) A$/lb 3.06 3.10 3.14 3.23 3.13
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 2.09 2.12 2.07 2.12 2.10
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.69 0.68 0.66 0.66 0.68
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 11.50 9.39 8.40 8.50 9.38
  • 2019/2020 YTD
    Tonnes Mined Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total
    Flying Fox
    Ore Mined tonnes 61,414 60,081 63,501 69,398 254,394
    Grade Ni % 3.7%4.5%4.3%3.4%4.0%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 2,280 2,712 2,754 2,343 10,089
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 85,942 84,851 78,555 91,460 340,808
    Grade Ni % 4.1%3.7%4.0%3.8%3.9%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 3,525 3,137 3,142 3,498 13,302
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 147,356 144,932 142,056 160,858 595,202
    Grade Ni % 3.9%4.0%4.2%3.6%3.9%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 5,805 5,849 5,896 5,841 23,391
  • 2019/2020 YTD
    Tonnes Milled and Sold Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr Total
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 149,729 143,409 142,200 151,302 586,640
    Grade % 3.9%4.2%4.1%3.8%4.0%
    Average Recovery % 89%89%89%89%89%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 5,259 5,399 5,154 5,114 20,926
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 5,051 3,991 6,038 4,777 19,857

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • Stockpiles Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr
    Ore tonnes 75,638 77,426 80,581 90,136
    Grade % 3.8%3.5%3.6%3.3%
    Concentrate tonnes 2,875 11,146 3,668 4,987
    Grade % 15.8%14.8%15.4%15.2%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 3,315 4,389 3,456 3,738
  • 2019/2020
    Financial Statistics Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Jun Qtr YTD
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 2.26 2.28 2.25 2.34 2.28
    Haulage A$/lb 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.07 0.06
    Milling A$/lb 0.55 0.53 0.55 0.53 0.54
    Admin A$/lb 0.22 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.22
    By Product Credits A$/lb (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) - (0.01)
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 3.06 3.06 3.07 3.17 3.09
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 3.06 3.10 3.14 3.23 3.13
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 2.09 2.12 2.07 2.12 2.10
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.69 0.68 0.66 0.66 0.68

    (*) Mining Costs are net of deferred waste costs and inventory stockpile movements.
    (**) US$ FX for Relevant Quarter is RBA ave daily rate (Jun Qtr = A$1:US$0.66)
    (***) 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.