Post on 11-Mar-2020
Nickel in Western Australia - industry trends and recent developments
JOGMEC Seminar , Tokyo, February 2008
Dr Tim Griffin*
Executive DirectorGeological Survey of Western Australia
Dr P. B. Abeysinghe (Abey)
Senior Geologist
Km0 260 520
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
...llllllll
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
...llllllllåååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
""
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
MT KEITH
LEINSTERCOSMOS
SILVER SWAN
SALLY MALAY
YilgarnCraton
PilbaraCraton
Halls CreekOrogen
RADIO HILL
EMILY ANN
MURRIN MURRIN
RAV 8
CAWSE
LANFRANCHIWANNAWAYMIITELMARINERSREDROSS
BLAIRLONGCORONETMCCLOYOTTER-JUANMACMAHONBETA HUNT
WATERLOO
PORT HEDLAND
KARRATHA
GERALDTON
ALBANY
PERTH
RAVENSTHORPE
KALGOORLIE
HALLS CREEK
...llllllllåååå åF
Nickel lateriteNickel sulfide
Legend
Western Australian nickel mines2006
3
Nickel production in 2006
Project Operator Nickel (tonnes)
Mineralization style
Leinster and Mount Keitha BHP Billiton Ltd 70 068 Sulfide Cosmos Jubilee Mines NL 11 437 Sulfide Emily Ann LionOre Mining International Ltd 9 737 Sulfide Long Independence Group NL 8 291 Sulfide Silver Swan – Black Swan MPI Mines Ltd 7 190 Sulfide Sally Malay Sally Malay Mining Ltd 7 369 Sulfide Miitel Mincor Resources NL 5 779 Sulfide Lanfranchi Sally Malay Mining Ltd and Brilliant
Mining Corporation 4 766 Sulfide
Beta Hunt Consolidated Minerals Ltd 4 052 Sulfide Redross Mincor Resources NL 3 651 Sulfide Mariners Mincor Resources NL 3 640 Sulfide Blair (Area 57 orebody) Australian Mines Ltd 1 181 Sulfide Waterloo LionOre Mining International Ltd 1 077 Sulfide Wannaway Mincor Resources NL 560 Sulfide Radio Hill Fox Resources Ltd 551 Sulfide RAV8 Tectonic Resources NL 77 Sulfide Murrin Murrin Minara Resources Ltd 31 524 Laterite Cawse OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel 5 686 Laterite Total - nickel sulfide 139 426 Total - nickel laterite 37 210 Total - Western Australia 176 636
4
Nickel production in 2007 (currently available)
Project Operator March 2007 Qtr
June 2007 Qtr
Sept 2007 Qtr
Dec 2007 Qtr
Total production*
Ni (t)
Mineralization style
Nickel West Operations (includes Leinster and Mt Keith)1
BHP Billiton Ltd Sulfide
Long Independence Group NL 3,048 2,790 2,838 8,676 Sulfide Miitel Mincor Resources NL 884 1,125 880 2,889 Sulfide Wannaway Mincor Resources NL 116 163 163 442 Sulfide Redross Mincor Resources NL 991 1,077 1,079 3,147 Sulfide Mariners Mincor Resources NL 785 899 739 2,423 Sulfide Lanfranchi Sally Malay Mining Ltd and Brilliant Mining
Lrd 1,150 1,278 1,092 1,563
5,083 Sulfide
Blair (Area 57 orebody) Australian Mines Ltd 185 200 267 252 904 Sulfide Cosmos Jubilee Mines NL 1,709 1,534 1,799 5,042 Sulfide Silver Swan Norilsk Nickel OJSC MMC 2,424 2,424 Sulfide Emily Ann Norilsk Nickel OJSC MMC 2,587 2,587 Sulfide Waterloo Norilsk Nickel OJSC MMC 726 726 RAV8 Tectonic Resources NL / Mincor resources NL 5 33 15 53 Sulfide Flying Fox Western Areas NL 0 Sulfide Beta Hunt Consolidated Minerals Ltd 966 1,189 758 2,913 Sulfide Radio Hill Fox Resources Ltd 146 275 566 987 Sulfide Sally Malay Sally Malay Mining Ltd 921 886 1,017 988 3,812 Sulfide Murrin Murrin Minara Resources Ltd 7,291 7,598 6,676 6,020 27,585 Laterite Cawse Norilsk Nickel OJSC MMC 0 Laterite Total - nickel sulfide 42,108 Total - nickel laterite 27,585 Total - Western Australia (Ni) 69,693
5
Nickel production history W A
-
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,00019
98
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
Con
tain
ed N
i (to
nnes
)
Ni sulfide Ni laterite WA Total (sulfide+laterite)
2007 to 2010 projected
6
Russia20.8%
Canada15.0%
Australia11.5%Indonesia
9.4%
New Caledonia7.3%
Colombia5.9%
China5.1%
Brazil4.8%
Cuba4.8%
Dominican Republic3.0%
Philippines2.7%
Botswana1.8%
Other countries5.1%
South Africa2.7%
World Nickel production - 2006
7
Nickel production in WA, (2006)
Kambalda-Kalgoorlie regionNickel Sulfide
Miitel, Wannaway, Redross and Mariners, Mincor Resources NL (Ni, Cu)Silver Swan, LionOre Mining International Ltd (Ni)Beta Hunt, Consolidated Minerals Ltd (Ni, Cu )Blair, Australian Mines Ltd (Ni, Cu)Lanfranchi, Helmut South, Sally Malay Mining Ltd (Ni)Long, Independence Group (Ni)
Nickel Laterite Cawse, Norilsk Nickel OJSC MMC (Ni)
8
Nickel production in WA, (2006)
Northern Eastern GoldfieldsNickel Sulfide: Cosmos, Jubilee Mines NL;
Mt Keith and Leinster, BHPBNickel Laterite: Murrin Murrin, Minara Resources Ltd
Lake Johnston regionNickel Sulfide: Emily Ann, LionOre Mining International LtdNickel Sulfide: Maggie Hays, LionOre Mining (Ni, Cu)
Forrestania regionNickel Sulfide: Flying Fox, Western Areas NL
Halls Creek regionNickel Sulfide: Sally Malay, Sally Malay Mining Ltd (Ni, Cu, Co)
Pilbara regionNickel Sulfide: Radio Hill, Fox Resources Ltd (Ni, Cu, Co)
9
Nickel projects in WA - under development or feasibility study (2007)
Kambalda regionWinner, Sally Malay Mining Ltd
Northern Eastern GoldfieldsProspero, Tapinos near Cosmos, Jubilee Mines NLCliffs and Yakabindi, BHPBHoneymoon Well, LionOre Mining International Ltd
Forrestania regionDiggers Rock, Western Areas NL
Halls Creek regionCopernicus, Sally Malay Mining Ltd
Pilbara regionSherlock Bay, Sherlock Bay Nickel Corporation Ltd
NL
10
Recent nickel exploration success in WA (2006/2007)
Kambalda district - Junior companies exploring and developing nickel sulfide deposits
McLeay near Victor South deposit; Independence Group NLBSA and Anomaly 11 prospects, Area 57, near Blair; Australian Mines LtdEast Alpha near Beta Hunt; Consolidated Minerals LtdDeacon; Sally Malay Mining Ltd
Kalgoorlie nickel laterite project - advances by Heron Resources / ValeNorthern Eastern Goldfields
Nickel sulfide at Collurabbie; BHPB LtdTapinos and Alec Mairs (near Cosmos), Sinclair; Jubilee Mines NLWaterloo-Amorac; LionOre International Ltd
Forrestania –T5, T Zero nickel sulfides deposits; Western Areas NL
Musgrave – Potential Nebo/Babel – 1 Mt contained Ni, 1 Mt Cu; BHPB Ltd
Geoferret technology- deep penetrating EM – explores 150 to 500 m
11
0
50
100
150
200
250
1979
–80
1980
–81
1981
–82
1982
–83
1983
–84
1984
–85
1985
–86
1986
–87
1987
–88
1988
–89
1989
–90
1990
–91
1991
–92
1992
–93
1993
–94
1994
–95
1995
–96
1996
–97
1997
–98
1998
–99
1999
–00
2000
–01
2001
–02
2002
–03
2003
–04
2004
–05
2005
–06
2006
–07
Expl
orat
ion
expe
nditu
re ($
Mill
ion)
Nickel+base metals
Nickel
WA exploration expenditure - nickel and base metals
12
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Con
tain
ed N
i (kt
)
Laterite (probable+proved+measured+indicated+inferred)
Sulfide (probable+proved+measured+indicated+inferred)
Nickel sulfide and nickel laterite resources in WA
13
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
MA
RSH
AL
L P
OO
L
MU
RR
IN M
UR
RIN
RA
VE
NST
HO
RPE
WE
LD
RA
NG
E
MT
KE
ITH
WIN
GE
LL
INA
HO
NE
YM
OO
N W
EL
L
BU
LO
NG
LE
INST
ER
YA
KA
BIN
DIE
GO
ON
GA
RR
IE
SIB
ER
IA
CA
WSE
HO
NE
YM
OO
N W
EL
L
WIL
UN
A
HIG
HW
AY
KA
LPI
NI
CO
SMO
S
GH
OST
RO
CK
S
EU
CA
LY
PTU
S B
OR
E
EM
ILY
AN
N -
MA
GG
IE H
AY
S
JER
ICH
O
KA
MB
AL
DA
CO
GL
IA W
EL
L -
IRW
IN H
ILL
S
YE
RIL
LA
SHE
RL
OC
K B
AY
PAN
TO
N
LA
KE
RE
BE
CC
A
FOR
RE
STA
NIA
WID
GIE
MO
OL
TH
A N
OR
TH
WO
RT
HY
MT
KE
ITH
- C
LIF
FS
SIL
VE
R S
WA
N
BE
TA
HU
NT
LA
NFR
AN
CH
I TR
AM
WA
YS
MII
TE
L -
RE
DR
OSS
SAL
LY
MA
LA
Y
WIN
DA
RR
A
Con
tain
ed N
i (kt
)
Ni sulfide depositNi laterite deposit
Ranking of nickel deposits in WA by contained Ni
14
Major ProjectsMurrin Murrin, Laverton region, NE Goldfields (Yilgarn Craton)Ravensthorpe (Yilgarn Craton)Kalgoorlie Project, Goongarrie (Yilgarn Craton)Wingellina (West Musgraves)
Hosted in regolith as residual and supergene deposits over mafic–ultramafic rocks, including greenstone belts in the Archean Yilgarn Craton
Nickel laterite mineralization in WA
...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll ...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll...llllllll.
..llllllll
...llllllll
...llllllll
Yilgarn Craton
MusgraveComplex
WINGELLINA
PERTH
RAVENSTHORPE
CAWSE
MURRIN MURRIN
0 250 500 Km
Nickel laterite mines and deposits in WA
LEGEND
DepositMine operating, developing or closed
Proterozoic rocks
Archaean rocks
Phanerozoic rocks
l....l
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åFåååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åF
åååå åFåååå åF
!
!
!
!
!
Yilgarn Craton
ALBANY
GERALDTON
PERTH
KARRATHA
RAVENSTHORPE
PilbaraCraton
Nickel sulfide depositåååå åF
Nickel sulfide mine operating or closedåååå åFLEGEND
Mt Keith-Perseverancegreenstone belt
Kambalda
greenstone belt
Forrestania
greenstone belt
Halls Creek Orogen
0 250 500 Km
Nickel sulfide mines and deposits in WA
West MusgravesProterozoic rocks
Archaean rocks
Phanerozoic rocks
17
Ni sulfide mineralization types in WA
Orthomagmatic — komatiitesKambaldaMount KeithLeinsterForrestania
Orthomagmatic — mafic–ultramafic intrusions (similar to Voisey’s Bay in Canada; Bushveld Complex in South Africa; Stillwater Complex in USA)
Radio Hill (Pilbara Craton)Sally Malay (Halls Creek Orogen)Nebo/Babel (Musgrave Complex)
18
Ni sulfide mineralization types in W A (continued)
Orthomagmatic — mafic-ultramafic rocks in shear zones• Pilbara Craton: Sherlock Bay and Worthy-Highway deposits• Pilbara Craton: Sholl and Tabba Tabba Shear Zones• Halls Creek Orogen, Albany-Fraser Orogen, Paterson Orogen
Orthomagmatic — mafic hosted in large igneous provinces (LIP) (similar to Norilsk –style): deposits not found yet in Western Australia, but potential targets are:• Edmund Basin, Kimberley and Speewah Basins, Hamersley
Basin, Antrim Plateau Volcanics
19
1070 Ma sills of theWarakurna large igneousprovince in the Glenayle areaof the eastern BangemallSupergroup
1465 Ma and 1070 Madolerite sills of theWestern BangemallSupergroup
Warakuna Large Igneous Province
0 250 500 Kilometers
30°S
Yilgarn Craton
Pilbara Craton
Halls C
reek
Oroge
n
MusgraveComplexEdmund Basin
Collier
Bas
in
Hamersley Basin
Albany
-Fras
er
Orogen
Forrestania
Greenstone Belt
Mt Keith–Perseverance Greenstone Belt
KambaldaGreenstone Belt
Paterson Orogen
Archean rocksProterozoic rocksPhanerozoic rocks
Nickel sulfide targets in Western Australia
0 250 500 Km
Orthomagmatic — komatiitesOrthomagmatic — mafic–ultramafic intrusionsOrthomagmatic — mafic hosted in large igneous provincesOrthomagmatic — mafic–ultramafic rocks in major shear zone
21
Summary
Western Australia - third largest producer of nickel in the world
Large resource base attracting major players – Vale, BHPB and NORILSK
Great success stories for small explorers
Small miners becoming mid-tier companies
New greenfield provincesNebo/Babel in Musgrave ComplexCollurabbie in Gerry Well greenstone belt, NE Goldfields
Outlook - additional nickel production from nickel laterite - BHPB’s Ravensthorpe and Vale/Heron’s Kalgoorlie Project
Enormous large igneous provinces (LIPs) in Kimberley, Capricorn Orogen under explored
22
Western Australia
Geological diversity and large size of WA provides opportunities in exploration and mining
GSWA has on-going programs to collect new data
Wide ranging opportunities for new explorersjoin fledgling, mid size or mature projectsinitiate new projects
Visit our website www.doir.wa.gov.au/gswaGeoviewMinedex
Visit websites e.g. www.intierra.com.au
Talk to GSWA or Geoscience Australia