REVIEW OF OPERATIONS: AUSTRALASIA REGION
OVERVIEW
Location: Agnew is located 23 km west of
the town of Leinster in Western Australia,
approximately 375 km north of Kalgoorlie and
1,000 km (by road) northeast of Perth at latitude
27°55`S and longitude 120°42`E. The mine is
served by a network of sealed roads and an
all weather airstrip at Leinster. Infrastructure:
Ore is currently mined from the Kim and Main
ore bodies which form part of the Waroonga
underground mining complex. Processing
is via one CIP plant with 1.3 Mtpa capacity.
Geology: Structurally controlled hydrothermal
gold deposits situated in the Norseman-
Wiluna Greenstone Belt which is part of the
Yilgarn Craton, a 2.6Ga granite-greenstone
terrain. Employees in service: The mine has
140 permanent employees and 200 contractors.
SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT
Agnew incurred four lost time injuries in F2009,
and it reduced medically treated injuries
from fifteen in F2008 to seven in F2009. The
operation has remained fatality free since
acquisition. A Zero Incident Process (ZIP)
programme was rolled out in F2009, with 70 per
cent of employees completing the programme
thus far, while the remainder will complete
the programme in F2010. This is designed to
complement the various other safety initiatives
at Agnew.
The mine maintained certification for
AS4801:2000 Occupational Safety and Health
Management System, and ISO14001:2004
(Environmental Management Standard). It was
also awarded substantial ICMI Cyanide Code
Compliance.
A significant amount of effort regarding
environmental management and reporting has
resulted in the site achieving an impressive
run of no significant environmental incidents in
F2009.
OPERATIONAL REVIEW
Gold produced decreased by six per cent from
204,000 ounces in F2008 to 192,000 ounces
in F2009. This was due to the completion of
processing of Songvang stockpiles by mid
F2009, with 94 per cent of production sourced
from the Waroonga underground complex
containing the Kim and Main lodes.
Tons milled decreased from 1.32 million in
F2008 to 1.07 million in F2009. This was due
to the depletion of the low grade Songvang
stockpiles.
Underground ore tons mined increased from
0.51 million in F2008 to 0.74 million in F2009.
This increase was at the Waroonga Complex
where a step change in production volumes
occurred in F2009.
Revenue increased from A$188 million in F2008
to A$230 million in F2009. The higher gold
price received was partially offset by the lower
production.
Operating costs, including gold-in-process
movements, decreased by 10 per cent from
A$115 million in F2008 to A$104 million in
F2009. This decrease was mainly due to lower
processing volumes due to the depletion of the
Songvang stockpiles and credits received on
two toll treatment parcels to utilise spare mill
capacity in the second half of the year.
Total cash cost increased from A$496 per
ounce in F2008 to A$541 per ounce in F2009
as a result of the lower production.
Operating profit, before amortisation, increased
from A$74 million in F2008 to A$125 million in
F2009. Operating margin increased from 39 per
cent in F2008 to 55 per cent in F2009.
Capital expenditure increased from
A$37 million in F2008 to A$42 million in F2009.
The majority of this increase related to the
Cyanide Code compliance project, additional
capital development and ventilation upgrades.
On- mine exploration amounted to A$18 million.
Notional cash expenditure increased from
A$634 per ounce in F2008 to A$743 per ounce
in F2009.
F2010 Focus Areas
- Maintain a consistent production rate
throughout the year;
- Exploration of the Kim Lode from
underground and surface to convert
resources to reserves;
- Continue exploration at Maria North,
Cinderella and the mine corridor
conglomerate; and
- A series of studies will be conducted on
the infrastructure at Waroonga with the
view to developing a five-year life of mine
plan.
|
Serious Injury Frequency Rate
per million man hours worked


|
|
Australia consolidated
| |
|
|
|
|
2009 |
|
2008 |
|
2007 |
|
| |
Net earnings |
|
A$m |
|
94.3 |
|
41.2 |
|
52.8 |
|
Agnew Gold Mine
| |
|
|
|
|
2009 |
|
2008 |
|
2007 |
|
| |
Open pit mining |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Waste mined |
|
'000t |
|
|
|
191 |
|
9,315 |
|
| |
Ore mined |
|
'000t |
|
|
|
202 |
|
1,532 |
|
| |
Head grade |
|
g/t |
|
|
|
3.24 |
|
2.58 |
|
| |
Strip ratio |
|
W:O |
|
|
|
0.95 |
|
6.08 |
|
| |
Underground mining |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Ore mined |
|
'000t |
|
737 |
|
505 |
|
394 |
|
| |
Head grade |
|
g/t |
|
7.94 |
|
9.34 |
|
11.69 |
|
| |
Processing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Tons milled |
|
'000t |
|
1,066 |
|
1,315 |
|
1,323 |
|
| |
Yield |
|
g/t |
|
5.6 |
|
4.8 |
|
5.0 |
|
| |
Gold produced |
|
kg |
|
5,974 |
|
6,336 |
|
6,605 |
|
| |
|
|
'000oz |
|
192 |
|
204 |
|
212 |
|
| |
Total cash costs |
|
A$/oz |
|
541 |
|
496 |
|
377 |
|
| |
|
|
US$/oz |
|
401 |
|
445 |
|
295 |
|
| |
Notional cash expenditure |
|
A$/oz |
|
743 |
|
634 |
|
602 |
|
| |
|
|
US$/oz |
|
550 |
|
568 |
|
473 |
|
| |
Capital expenditure |
|
A$m |
|
41.6 |
|
37.0 |
|
36.3 |
|
|
|