Australia is the western world's fourth largest (after Chile, USA, and Indonesia) copper producer producing 869 000 t of copper concentrates in 2003. Copper mineralisation is distributed throughout Australia, but mined from relatively few mines, with the primary producers being the Olympic Dam in South Australia and Mount Isa Mines in Queensland. Other significant copper operations are at Northparkes and Cadia-Ridgeway in New
South Wales, Golden Grove in Western Australia, Ernest Henry, Osborne and Mt Gordon in Queensland and Mt Lyell in Tasmania. Spending on exploration for copper fell by 18.6% in 2003 to A$34.5 million. Australia has 6% of global resources, 3rd after Chile and USA.
WMC is Australia’s largest copper producer, with production dominated by the Olympic Dam mine. Other producers generally produce copper as a co product of gold mining operations. The mine produced 160,080 t of copper in 2003. Olympic Dam is ranked as the world’s eighth largest copper orebody with reserves estimated at 566Mt grading at 2% copper, 0.7% g/t gold and 0.6kg/t uranium. In May 2004, WMC Resources Ltd announced a A$50 million feasibility study into options to expand production further and to develop a preferred life-of-mine plan by 2006. Early studies have shown that Olympic Dam could produce up to 350,000 t/y copper by extending underground mining.
Straits Resources operates the Nifty Copper Mine which was purchased from WMC for A$47 million. Straits also operates the Girilambone Copper Mine located in NSW - here Straits has a 60% interest and is the operator with Nord Pacific holding the remaining 40% interest.
Placer Dome operates the Osborne copper-gold mine located in the state of Queensland in northeastern Australia.
Mount Isa Mines (MIM) and Pasminco jointly own the Ernest Henry Copper Mine situated in Queensland. At full production, the mine is expected to produce 95 000t/ year of copper. Pasminco intends selling its 49% interest in Ernest Henry, following its intentions to move away from copper to rather focus on its core business - i.e. lead and zinc.
Tritton Resources announced a decision to develop the Tritton copper project, near Girilambone, in New South Wales, which will be based on a total resource of 14 Mt at 2.7% Cu. The operation will initially mine 660,000 t/y of ore rising to 900,000 t/y in the fifth and following years. Mining will be mainly by underground methods but with some ore supplied from a small open pit. Development costs for the project are expected to be about A$38.5 million.
Matrix Metals Ltd
Matrix operates the Mt Cuthbert SX-EW mine in Queensland.
MIM Holdings Ltd
MIM operate the Ernest Henry copper - gold mine in Queensland Australia
Straits Resources Ltd
Straits operates the Nifty Copper mine in Western Australia as well as the Girilambone Copper Mine in NSW.
Western Metals Ltd
Western Metals operates the Mount Gordon copper mine located in north west Queensland.
Western Metals Ltd
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WMC Resources Ltd
WMC is one of Australia's lowest cost copper producers with production from its Olympic Dam.
