GOLD MINES AND MINING – SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BHP plans new tailings storage at Olympic Dam

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 18-Jun-19

BHP will commence work on a sixth tailings dam at its Olympic Dam copper, gold and uranium mine in South Australia in late 2019 if it receives environmental approval from the federal government. BHP has indicated that the new tailings dam is needed to maintain the mine’s current production rate, and for its proposed expansion to up to 350,000 tonnes of copper. BHP recently advised that geological conditions at Olympic Dam mean that the mine’s capacity is more likely to be increased to between 240,000 and 300,000 tonnes.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INCORPORATED

OZ looks to build on copper’s solid foundation

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 15 : 18-Jan-18

OZ Minerals expects copper production at its Prominent Hill mine in South Australia to be within the range of 100,000 to 110,000 tonnes in 2018, and 95,000 to 105,000 tonnes in 2019. Its previous guidance was for output of 90,000 to 100,000 tonnes in both years. Copper production at Prominent Hill totalled 112,008 tonnes in 2017, at an average cash cost of $US0.83 per pound. Meanwhile, OZ will invest some $A500m on development of its Carrapateena copper mine in 2018, while it has allocated at least $A38m to an exploration program in South Australia.

CORPORATES
OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL

BHP scraps grid-power deal with OZ Minerals

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 22 : 1-Sep-17

OZ Minerals has warned that power costs at its Prominent Hill gold and copper mine could rise by 2-5 per cent from mid-2020. BHP Billiton has advised that it will end an agreement for OZ to access the Olympic Dam mine’s power transmission infrastructure from August 2020. BHP has indicated that the proposed expansion of Olympic Dam will significantly increase the copper and uranium mine’s electricity requirements, forcing OZ Minerals to seek an alternative source of electricity.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, SANDFIRE RESOURCES NL – ASX SFR

SA power threat to copper project: OZ

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 8-Nov-16

OZ Minerals’ pre-feasibility study for its Carrapateena project in South Australia shows that annual copper and gold output would be 15 per cent and 19 per cent higher respectively than previous guidance had indicated. Production is expected to begin in the March 2019 quarter, assuming OZ Mineral’s board gives final approval to the project in the first half of 2017. However, OZ Minerals has warned that SA’s energy supply is a major risk to the project.

CORPORATES
OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, ELECTRANET SA, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

Miners face $150m hit from blackout

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 27 : 4-Oct-16

OZ Minerals has advised that electric power is unlikely to be restored at its Prominent Hill mine in South Australia for at least another week, while its 2016-17 gold production forecast may not be met as a result. The recent state-wide power outage also halted production at BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam mine and Arrium’s Whyalla steelworks. Meanwhile, the suspension of production at Nyrstar’s lead smelter at Port Pirie is believed to have contributed to a spike in the price of lead on the London Metal Exchange.

CORPORATES
OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, NYRSTAR AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED, KORDA MENTHA AND COLLEAGUES PTY LTD

OZ Minerals spruiks faster, cheaper Carrapateena plan

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 &18 : 7-Oct-15

OZ Minerals has indicated that developing the Carrapateena copper and gold deposit on a much smaller scale than originally planned is its preferred option. OZ estimates that it could reduce the cost of developing the mine to about $A1bn by focusing on higher-grade ore at the shallowest depths. A feasibility study in 2014 had estimated that the original plan for a block cave mine would cost about $A2.98bn. CEO Andrew Cole has stressed that three options for the project remain under consideration.

CORPORATES
OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, KKR AND COMPANY LP, ARGONAUT SECURITIES PTY LTD, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, PANAUST LIMITED, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM