Golden Grove: 35 years young
In the heart of WA’s midwest region lies Golden Grove mine, a cornerstone operation of the Australian mining landscape.
Since its first discovery in 1971, Golden Grove has undergone numerous transformations, adapting to market shifts, technological advancements, and evolving industry demands.
What began as a humble exploration site has grown into a prolific source of precious metals.
The mine site celebrates 35 years in 2025 following the start of operations in 1990, focusing on the extraction of copper, zinc, lead and precious metals such as silver and gold.
Today, mining at Golden Grove is from two underground mining fronts – Gossan Hill and Scuddles and with significant in- vestments in infrastructure, it continues to contribute to both local employment and global metal supply.
Humble beginnings
Golden Grove has experienced multiple ownership transitions over the decades, early production years were under the stewardship of Normandy Mining, which was later acquired by Newmont Mining Corporation.
The mine then passed to Oxiana Limited, which eventually merged into OZ Minerals in 2008.
During OZ Minerals’ tenure, Golden Grove became part of a broader asset sale during that year, transferring ownership to MMG Limited; in 2017, Australian-based EMR Capital purchased Golden Grove from MMG Limited.
Four years later in 2021, EMR Capital launched 29Metals Limited (ASX: 29M) on the Australian Securities Exchange through an initial public offering.
This move incorporated Golden Grove in WA and Capricorn Copper in Queensland as part of 29Metals’ portfolio, both assets central to its copper-focused strategy.
Under 29Metals’ management, Golden Grove has seen significant investment in both underground and surface infrastructure, aimed at maximising the potential of Xantho Extended—its richest orebody within the Gossan Hill mine.
Challenges & milestones
29Metals chief executive James Palmer recaps the efforts it took to get the mine site up and running as a viable operation, saying despite it being discovered in 1971, it took almost two decades of exploration, feasibility studies and financing efforts.
“One of the early challenges was determining the best approach to extract multiple types of ores (zinc, copper, lead, gold, silver) from the site’s complex geology,” he says.
“Over the years, the mine underwent con- tinuous infrastructure upgrades, such as construction of a sophisticated ore pro- cessing plant, capable of handling differ- ent ore types to maximise output.”
Mr Palmer says like all mining operations, Golden Grove is influenced by fluctuating global commodity prices, particularly for copper and zinc, which are cyclical in nature.
“Over Golden Grove’s history this has at times impacted profitability and occasionally led to scaled-back production during downturns,” he said.
“These financial pressures have also precipitated changes in ownership.”
When it comes to milestones, Mr Palmer reveals that the most significant achievement to date is Golden Grove’s ability to remain a steady producer for more than three decades.
“Through the highs and lows of commodity markets, Golden Grove has continued to deliver valuable metals, ensuring its place as a key contributor to both the local economy and the broader mining industry in Australia,” he said.
Technology advancements
Golden Grove has invested in mining and processing technologies to boost efficiency, enhance productivity and strengthen safety measures.
With technology playing a major role in transforming operations, innovation has been front and centre, none moreso than with the mine’s sequential flotation circuit which was commissioned in 2021 as Mr Palmer explains it.
“The Golden Grove processing plant treats ore mined from multiple polymetallic ore- bodies,” he said.
“Historically, ore treatment campaigns depended heavily on cleanly segregating copper ores from lead/zinc ores during the mining process.
“As mining different sources has pro- gressed, mixed copper/lead/zinc zones became more prevalent.
“These sources were unable to be selec- tively mined, the most prominent being Xantho Extended.
“In 2021, an additional copper flotation circuit was commissioned.
“This facilitated the sequential production of three separate concentrate streams, improving metal recovery and concentration quality from mixed mineralised zones and simplifying the mining requirements.
“The retrofit to the brownfield’s operation required creative solutions to balance metallurgical, operational and maintenance-friendly considerations to achieve the final project requirements.”
Golden Grove has also seen itself through the BlastIQ underground project, enabled by the underground fibre optic backbone, which has streamlined drill and blast processes to gain productive time underground.
This project was awarded the Excellence in Industrial Internet of Things Application win at the 2024 Prospect Awards, recognised for its application of connected devices, systems and sensors that signifi- cantly improve safety, boost productivity and reduce operating costs.
Steps in sustainability
Golden Grove has made impressive strides in sustainability, prioritising environmentally responsible mining practices through a range of initiatives such as containerised concentrate handling, tailings management and storage, biodiversity management, waste reduction and re- cycling, and installing the Containers for Change program in support of the Royal Flying Doctors Service.
- Golden Grove moved to a containerised method of transporting the concentrates known as Rotabox, aligning with best practice for handling of metalliferous concentrates.
- Golden Grove is in the process of constructing tailings storage facility 4 with the project set for completion in 2025.
- Golden Grove’s biodiversity management plan reflects the mine’s commitment to continual improvement and provides a robust and comprehensive method for identifying and managing impacts.
- Golden Grove developed the Malleefowl management plan in 2023 with an objective of providing guidelines for the effective protection of Malleefowl and minimising adverse impacts on the species and its associated habitats from the operations at Golden Grove.
- Golden Grove has introduced waste management programs aimed
at reducing the amount of waste generated by its operations.
Local community contribution
Mr Palmer says that over the past 35 years, Golden Grove has made substantial contributions to local communities, partic- ularly in the midwest region of WA.
“Golden Grove is a key employer in the midwest region, providing direct employ- ment to local residents and creating indi- rect jobs through its supply chain,” he said.
“Around 20% of Golden Grove’s employees are from Geraldton or the surrounding areas.
“The mine’s operations have a ripple effect on the local economy, supporting businesses that provide goods and services such as transport, construction, and hospitality.
“The mine relies heavily on contractors from Geraldton and nearby areas, with around 80% of contractors for projects from the Geraldton/Kalgoorlie areas.”
The future
As Golden Grove celebrates its 35th year, the future looks bright with three pro- duction growth levers – Xantho Extended ramping up, Gossan Valley (a near-term development option) and Cervantes (a medium-term growth option).
“Exploration activities at Golden Grove are currently focused on resource conversion drilling at Europa and Xantho Extend- ed, which are orebodies within the Gos- san Hill underground mine,” Mr Palmer said.
“Broader priority exploration target areas include North Xantho Extended and North Cervantes.”
Golden Grove Significant Milestones
- First production from Scuddles underground mine in 1990
- Commencement of mining from Gossan Hill in 1999
- Discovery of Gossan Valley, a potential third mining front, in 2010
- Progressive installation of underground cooling infrastructure from 2018
- Introduction of a gravity gold recovery circuit 2019
- Plant expansion to sequential flotation configuration mid-2021
- Mining of Xantho Extended December 2021
Q&A with 29Metals chief executive James Palmer
AMR: What is your take on the current Australian and global economy? What do they see happening in the near future?
JP: We see continued strong demand for copper as a critical metal to enable the global transition towards electrification, with 29Metals well positioned to benefit from this demand. But the supply side is where we play where we aim to focus on the areas we have control – safe tonnes at low cost.
AMR: What policy do you think needs changing? And what’s working?
JP: The more governments can create stability and streamline approvals, the easier it will be for companies to commit long-term capital into the sector, which then has all of the flow-on benefits mining brings.
AMR: What do you think of the current Federal and State Governments (where you have operations)?
JP: We aim to work constructively with all levels of Government in the jurisdictions we operate. Stable and streamlined regulations across all levels of government benefits everyone.
AMR: Could you tell us a bit about yourself – what drew you into mining? What is the special connection?
JP: Attracted to the industry as a graduate Chemical Engineer, I first started at Mt Isa Mines in Queensland, then with WMC in Kalgoorlie in WA, and then spent the last 20 years with BHP in various strategic, management, business development, operational and technical roles. I’ve always been in mining, and I think copper is a great commodity to be in, which is one of the things that attracted me to 29Metals.
I am based in Brisbane, where I live with my wife and three children. When I’m not working, I like spending time with my family and anything in the great outdoors. I am passionate about safety, culture and people. I believe a strong culture leads to strong performance – in everything!