First production ore from Black Rock Cave comes online
Media release
The first production ore from the Black Rock Cave has come online following the development of the mining levels, with the underground ore body expected to yield around 1.8 million tonnes of copper ore from 2020 to 2024.
Glencore commenced development on the Black Rock ore body in May 2018 to access and extract ore around and below the historic Black Rock Open Cut.
The Black Rock Cave project further develops the existing copper resource at Mount Isa Mines, and will use sub-level caving to improve the economic viability of extracting ore from the existing ore body.
General Manager Mount Isa Mining Simon Pope says ore from the Black Rock Cave project will be extracted from a series of sub-levels downward through the ore body in a highly efficient pattern, using loaders and trucks to transfer ore to the surface.
“Glencore’s Ernest Henry Mining, located outside of Cloncurry, successfully converted from open pit operations to sub-level cave mining in 2011, but this will be quite a different application of this highly efficient mining method given the rock is less competent in the Black Rock ore body,” says Mr Pope.
“The underground decline and development of the mining levels is nearing completion by PYBAR Mining Services and we are pleased to report that the first production ore is now coming online.”
To implement this mining method, the Black Rock Cave project will involve the progressive relocation of a number of surface assets, infrastructure and personnel in and around the area known as R62, including the recent demolition of the original change house which was later repurposed as a core shed.
The R62 shaft will remain in operation throughout the Black Rock Cave project, however, a new change house facility will be built at X41 with workers transported on lease to R62 in the near future.
The project is progressing well says Mr Pope with current focus being the removal of the crude ore bins and conveyors from R62 as well as the process water tanks. Demolition works on the No. 2 Ore Shaft headframe will start shortly, with the R60 building to follow.
“We are undertaking some major works to progress the Black Rock Cave project and both residents and workers alike will be noticing some changes to the Mount Isa Mines skyline and site as part of work on the Black Rock Cave project,” Mr Pope says.
“We are currently demolishing six crude ore bins that sit nestled to the southern side of the Lead Smelter Stack on the Mount Isa Mines lease which are visible from the Mount Isa city centre.”
“Each of these massive crude ore bins once served as a monument to the hard work of the miners, holding thousands of tonnes of crude ore they worked extremely hard for.”
The ore bins were constructed in the early 1960s around the same time as the commissioning of the R62 shaft (then known as K57 before the grid moved from imperial to metric) and No. 2 Concentrator expansion project.
For further information, please contact:
Colin Morrison
t: +61 7 4744 2979
m: +61 447 846 702
e: Colin Morrison
Nadine Roberts
t: +61 7 4744 2955
m: +61 436 341 650
e: Nadine Roberts
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The rockface looks fairly unremarkable before work started on the Black Rock Cave project mine portal.
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A jumbo starting work on the Black Rock Cave mine portal.
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View of the Crude Ore Bins nestled under the 270 metre Lead Stack in the middle of the photo.
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The Crude Ore Bins and R60 building will be demolished to progress the project.
Notes for editors
About Glencore
Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 commodities. The Group's operations comprise over 150 mining and metallurgical sites and oil production assets.
With a strong footprint in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, Glencore's industrial and marketing activities are supported by a global network of offices located in over 35 countries.
Glencore's customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, battery manufacturing and oil sectors. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. Glencore’s companies employ around 160,000 people, including contractors.
Glencore is proud to be a member of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and the International Council on Mining and Metals. We are an active participant in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
About Mount Isa Mines
Mount Isa Mines operates two separate mining and processing streams, copper and zinc-lead-silver, to deliver natural resources that have enduring roles in our society. The site hosts the world’s largest zinc resource base, as well as the biggest network of underground mine development in the world.
The site includes two copper underground mines, one zinc underground mine, the copper concentrator and smelter, as well as the zinc-lead concentrator, lead smelter and zinc filter plant. Together, these represent one of Australia’s largest industrial complexes.
As well as the Australian market, our products are exported to countries throughout Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom, contributing billions of dollars to the Australian economy every year. We provide work for close to 3,500 employees and contractors and are dedicated to supporting local people, local businesses, and creating strong links between our operations and the city of Mount Isa.