Western Australia boasts the top four producing gold mines in Australia as the country remained the world’s second-largest producer of the precious metal during the 2011 calendar year, gold mining consultants Surbiton Associates reported.
The Super Pit, a joint venture between Newmont Mining and Barrick Gold in Kalgoorlie, was the top producing mine in 2011 with output of 796,000 ounces.
Newmont’s Boddington mine was second with 742,000oz. Newcrest Mining’s Telfer operation (554,779oz) and Gold Fields’ St Ives mine (464,546oz) rounded out the top four.
The Super Pit remains in front with a steady production rate despite Newmont’s original forecast on opening the Boddington mine in 2010 that it would achieve annual output at full capacity of a million ounces.
Overall, total gold output in Australia was steady, finishing just two tonnes lower than a year earlier at 264t (8.5 million oz).
“Australia retained its position as the world’s second-largest gold producing country in 2011,” Surbiton director Sandra Close said.
“Preliminary figures suggest that China will again come in first, at well over 300t, while the US will take third place at around 240t.”
Surbiton said higher gold prices had maintained activity in the sector, with several new or redeveloped projects under way or slated for production.
These include Ramelius Resources’ Mt Magnet project in the Murchison region. Plant expansions are also under way at Silver Lake Resources’ Lakewood facility and Integra Mining’s Randalls project, both near Kalgoorlie.
Also in the Murchison, it is expected production will begin from mines being developed by Kentor Gold, Reed Resources, Silver Lake Resources, Doray Minerals and Westgold Resources in the next 18 months.
And first gold is due to be poured from the Tropicana project joint venture between AngloGold Ashanti and Independence Group late next year. The joint venture has forecast that production at Tropicana, about 330km north-east of Kalgoorlie, will be between 300,000oz and 350,000oz a year over 10 years.
Another mine under development is Regis Resources’ Garden Well.
Much of the push to increase production can be attributed to the increase in the gold price, which started 2011 below $US1,400/oz.
A series of financial crises in the US and Europe sent gold prices soaring in late August and early September.
