Mining kicks off at Austral’s Anthill site

The Anthill fleet is shifting overburden and is on track to start mining ore at the North-West Queensland copper site in April, Austral Resources Australia says. It has hailed the start of bulk mining on January 7 as a key development milestone, with Austral’s team of employees and contractors 'transforming a paddock into a mine' within two months of the company's listing on the ASX. Austral chief executive officer Steve Tambanis. Refurbishment of the company's nearby Mount Kelly processing plant is on schedule, ready to start handling Anthill ore in the second quarter of 2022. Austral chief executive officer Steve Tambanis said the operation had 100 personnel onsite to undertake the Anthill mine development and plant refurbishment. Multiple contractors were assisting Austral to achieve planned copper production of 10,000tpa from mid-year, he said. Related: Thiess readies fleet for Anthill operations “It’s pleasing to see site work conducted safely, on schedule and building momentum," Mr Tambanis said. "This is a testament to the hard work of Austral’s employees and contractors. "The Anthill mine is a hive of activity, with two blast rigs working ahead of the mining fleet to deliver broken ground. "Clearing is nearing completion over the two pits, dewatering and monitoring bores are being installed, and topsoil is being stockpiled for future rehabilitation." The Anthill ground and Mount Kelly solvent extraction and electrowinning (SXEW) facility were part of the Lady Annie operations Austral purchased from CST Minerals in 2019. While mining is underway at Anthill east pit (top left), adjacent benches have been drilled and loaded for firing. The start of mining at Anthill follows several months of work to establish site infrastructure, mobilise plant, clear the pit areas and prepare haul roads. Mining commenced on January 7 with one 350-tonne excavator and two 210-tonne trucks on dayshift. Austral said a second excavator and truck set would begin bulk mining this week and the operation would begin mining on a dayshift and nightshift. Drilled and blasted volumes are well ahead of schedule, with 430,000bcm ready for mining. This should see Anthill achieve planned development tonnages by the end of January and first ore mined in April 2022. The heap leach stacker being refurbished at Mount Kelly Mr Tambanis said the crushing and stacking circuit refurbishment at Austral's Mount Kelly processing plant was 70 per cent complete. Work includes conveyor belt replacement, electrical test work, structural repairs, secondary crusher rebuild, safetyguarding and agglomerator relining. It is on schedule to begin trial commissioning in late February. Meanwhile the electrowinning circuit is being readied to increase production from 5tpd of copper cathode to 30tpd by mid 2022, corresponding to 10,000tpa of cathode production. Replacing feed bin grizzly bars.Interior of the crushed ore agglomerator.Re-mining heap leach ore. Austral Resources Australia listed on the ASX in November last year after an oversubscribed capital raising of $30 million. Mr Tambanis said exploration and development activities were being expanded across the North-West Queensland tenement package, with the goal of fast-tracking discoveries. "We look forward to further shareholder updates as we prepare to commence maiden copper production from Anthill and begin exploration and development activities,” he said in a statement to the ASX.

Mining kicks off at Austral’s Anthill site

Industry Queensland

Related News

Thiess clocks up 90 years of operations

Nanogenerator consumes CO2 for sustainable power

Trophy honour as gold mine heads for finish line

Get access to breaking mining news, now.