Tag: WA Goldfields

Image: St Barbara   BY AMY BLOM   A REFUSAL to accept the status quo and a willingness to adopt innovative techniques will see the life of the historic Gwalia mine extended to 2031 and beyond, according to St Barbara managing director and chief executive Bob Vassie.    As part of its bid to extend mine life at Gwalia, in the WA Goldfields, St Barbara will complete a $100 million expansion (GEP) over the next 12 months, while also investigating a change to mining and haulage methods, called the Gwalia Mass Extraction (GMX). According to St Barbara’s Bob Vassie, the GEP was about 50 per cent complete, on schedule, and on budget, with planned completion expected at the end of 2019....

BY ELIZABETH FABRI   GOLD and nickel have been the lifeblood of WA’s Goldfields region for 125 years. But this is about to change – newcomer lithium is taking a seat at the table as demand for battery metals signals new opportunities in downstream processing.     Neometals' plan to build a 10,000 tonnes per annum lithium hydroxide production facility moved a step closer after it inked a deal to sub-lease a site in West Kalgoorlie for the refinery in early June. The proposed 40 hectare property is 5km from Kalgoorlie, and only 70km from its Mt Marion lithium operation, which is jointly owned with majority partner Mineral Resources. The site’s proximity is a huge shot in the arm for...