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 YTD
    Item Unit Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Ore Mined Tns 137,280 124,459 117,613 379,352
    Mine Grade Ni % 3.0%2.8%3.6%3.1%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 4,147 3,518 4,236 11,901
    Ore Processed (Milling/Concentrator) tonnes 148,801 145,996 139,025 433,822
    Processed Grade Ni % 3.0%2.9%3.5%3.1%
    Average Processing Recovery % 85%84%89%86%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced tonnes 3,756 3,535 4,267 11,558
    Total Nickel Sold tonnes 4,064 3,336 3,962 11,362
    Contained Nickel in stockpiles tonnes 3,096 2,633 2,429
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate A$/lb 4.44 4.72 4.00 4.37
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate inc MREP A$/lb 4.46 4.67 4.07 4.38
    Cash Cost Nickel in Concentrate (inc MREP) US$/lb 3.17 3.41 3.15 3.24
    Exchange Rate US$/A$ 0.71 0.73 0.77 0.74
    Realised Nickel Price (before payability) A$/lb 9.28 10.52 10.07 9.92
  • 2020/2021 YTD
    Tonnes Mined Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Flying Fox
    Ore Mined tonnes 44,359 38,255 41,909 124,523
    Grade Ni % 2.9%2.5%3.8%3.1%
    Flying Fox Nickel Mined tonnes 1,269 939 1,601 3,809
    Spotted Quoll
    Ore Mined tonnes 92,921 86,204 75,704 254,829
    Grade Ni % 3.1%3.0%3.5%3.2%
    Spotted Quoll Nickel Mined tonnes 2,878 2,579 2,635 8,092
    Total Ore Mined tonnes 137,280 124,459 117,613 379,352
    Grade Ni % 3.0%2.8%3.6%3.1%
    Total Nickel Mined tonnes 4,147 3,518 4,236 11,901
  • 2020/2021 YTD
    Tonnes Milled and Sold Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr Total
    Total Milled Ore tonnes 148,801 145,996 139,025 433,822
    Grade % 3.0%2.9%3.5%3.1%
    Average Recovery % 85%84%89%86%
    Total Nickel in Concentrate Produced (ⁱ) tonnes 3,756 3,535 4,267 11,558
    Nickel in Concentrate Sold tonnes 4,064 3,336 3,962 11,362

    (i) Includes MREP Nickel tonnes produced.

  • Stockpiles Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr
    Ore tonnes 78,615 60,659 43,103
    Grade % 3.4%3.4%3.5%
    Concentrate tonnes 2,575 3,911 6,367
    Grade % 15.9%15.2%14.4%
    Contained Nickel in Stockpiles tonnes 3,096 2,633 2,429
  • 2020/2021
    Financial Statistics Sep Qtr Dec Qtr Mar Qtr YTD
    Group Production Cost/lb
    Mining Cost (*) A$/lb 3.24 3.46 2.95 3.20
    Haulage A$/lb 0.08 0.09 0.07 0.08
    Milling A$/lb 0.83 0.85 0.72 0.80
    Admin A$/lb 0.29 0.32 0.26 0.29
    Flotation Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) A$/lb 4.44 4.72 4.00 4.37
    Total Cash Cost Ni in Con (***) incl MREP A$/lb 4.46 4.67 4.07 4.38
    Cash Cost Ni in Con/lb (***) US$/lb (**) 3.17 3.41 3.15 3.24
    Exchange Rate US$ / A$ 0.71 0.73 0.77 0.74

    (*) Mining Costs are net of deferred waste costs and inventory stockpile movements.
    (**) US$ FX for Relevant Quarter is RBA ave daily rate (Mar Qtr = A$1:US$0.77)
    (***) 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.