PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Nickel miner Mincor Resources has exceeded its production expectations during the September quarter, as both its operating mines, in Western Australia, exceeded yearly production targets.
During the three months under review, Mincor increased production to 2 515 t of nickel-in-ore, up 5% compared with the 2 396 t delivered in the previous quarter.
The Miitel mine delivered 1 260 t of production, while the Mariners mine delivered 1 257 t.
Mincor told shareholders on Wednesday that its programme of major equipment upgrades at the Kambalda nickel operations was extended through the commitment to acquire four new underground haulage trucks. The first two of these trucks were delivered during the quarter, and all four trucks were expected to be operational by December.
The company was also working to extend the resource and reserve estimations for both operations, and recently added about 12 000 t of nickel metal ore to the reserve, after depletion for mining.
The company has replaced some 117% of all the nickel mined during 2013/14.
The company’s latest ore reserve has estimated that the Kimbalda operations contained about 23 000 t of nickel-in ore, while the total mineral resource was estimated at 123 000 t.