Bluebird
The main gate of the mine
Location
Bluebird Gold Mine is located in Western Australia
Bluebird Gold Mine
Bluebird Gold Mine
Location in Western Australia
LocationMeekatharra
StateWestern Australia
CountryAustralia
Coordinates26°42′53″S 118°25′51″E / 26.71472°S 118.43083°E / -26.71472; 118.43083
Production
ProductsGold
Production204,937 troy ounces[2][1]
Financial year2021–22
History
Opened1985
Owner
CompanyWestgold Resources Limited
Websitewww.westgold.com.au
Year of acquisition2014

The Bluebird Gold Mine is a gold mine located 15 km south-south-west of Meekatharra, Western Australia.[2]

The mine is owned by Westgold Resources Limited, a company formed in November 2016 from the demerger of the gold assets of Metals X Limited, who acquired the project from Reed Resources in May 2014.[3]

History

Gold mines in the Mid West region

The mine was owned by St Barbara Mines Ltd from 1991 to October 2005, when St Barbara sold it to Mercator,[2] for A$18 million in cash and shares and an $3 million environmental bond.[4] At the time of the purchase, Mercator already owned a number of exploration leases in the area.[5]

St Barbara spent A$30 million on the mine in the early 2000s on upgrading plant and developing its surface and underground operations.[6] Mining at Bluebird was suspended in May 2004.[7] St Barbara subsequently sold the mine to Mercator Gold for A$38 million.[8]

Mining resumed under Mercator in the fourth quarter of 2007.[9] The company planned to produce 90,000 ounces of gold in its first year, rising to 120,000 in 2008.[10] Mining was carried out at the Surprise and the Bluebird open pit.[11]

Mercator announced on 25 September 2008, that mining at its Surprise pit had been suspended because the proximity of the pit to the Great Northern Highway raised concerns. Milling was to continue until October that year and then resume in January 2009. Mercator also planned to raise A$58 million to refinance its operations and pay off its debts.[12]

On 9 October 2008, Mercator requested a suspension of trading following the appointment of Ferrier Hodgson as administrators to the company's operating subsidiary, Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd.[13] All mining activities at Bluebird were suspended and the mine placed into care and maintenance.[14][15] For the 2007-08 financial year, Mercator posted a loss of £31,883,479.[9] Some of the reasons for the closure were a poor mine plan and the inability of the company to raise necessary capital during the global financial crisis.[16]

At the end of 2009, Mercator was hopeful, that the sale of the mine to Meekatharra Gold Corporation, a company to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, should be finalised in 2010.[17] After the Meekatharra Gold Corporation failed in its attempt to purchase the mine, it was sold to Reed Resources for A$26.7 million in January 2011.[8]

Reed hoped to reopen the mine by late 2012 and carry out mining in both an open pit and underground operation.[16] Reed Resources refurbished the process plant and eventually commenced mining in January 2013. The operations suffered from high cost, low grades and performance issues, eventually forcing the company into administration. Forced to sell, Metals X initially offered A$7.7 million for the operations, increasing this to A$9.4 million in June 2014 to match rival bids.[18] Metals X re-commenced mining at Bluebird in June 2015 and ore processing the following October.[19]

In 2016, the mine came under Westgold Resources ownership when Metals X and Westgold de-merged, with the latter retaining ownership of company's the gold mining operations, including Higginsville.[20]

As of 2022, the mine is part of Westgold Resources Murchison Operations, which consist of the Meekatharra and the Cue Gold Operation. The Meekatharra Gold Operation, with the Bluebird plant as its central processing location, consist of the Paddy’s Flat, South Emu-Triton and Bluebird underground mines and the surface operations at Five Mile Well, Maid Marion, Albury Heath and Aladdin open pits.[21]

Production

Annual production of the mine:[6][7][9][19][22][23][24][25][21][1]

Year Production Grade Cost per ounce
2000 86,798 ounces 0.93 g/t A$321
2001 111,380 ounces 1.67 g/t A$469
2002 [1] 97,254 ounces 2.29 g/t A$459
2002–03 96,611 ounces 1,47 g/t
2003–04 37,983 ounces 0.84 g/t
2004–07 in care and maintenance
2007–08 32,145 ounces
2008–12 in care and maintenance
2012–13
2013–14
2014–2015 in care and maintenance
2015–16 37,182 ounces 2.25 g/t A$1,436
2016–17 101,339 ounces 2.34 g/t A$1,303
2017–18 112,430 ounces 2.56 g/t A$1,492
2018–19 94,280 ounces 2.64 g/t A$1,451
2019–20 104,088 ounces 2.62 g/t A$1,496
2020–21 103,061 ounces 2.23 g/t A$1,628
2021–22[2] 204,937 ounces 2.5 g/t A$1,748

Notes

  • ^[1] Figures for January to September 2002 only.
  • ^[2] Combined result for the Murchison Operations consisted of the Meekatharra Gold Operation and the Cue Gold Operation. The Meekatharra Gold Operation consists of the Paddy’s Flat, South Emu-Triton and Bluebird underground mines and the surface operations at Five Mile Well, Maid Marion, Albury Heath and Aladdin open pits. The Cue Gold Operation consists of the Big Bell underground mine as its primary producer, supplemented by the Comet underground mine.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Westgold Resources Annual Report 2022". www.asx.com.au. Westgold Resources. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 "MINEDEX website". Meekatharra - Bluebird search result. Archived from the original on 11 September 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  3. ↑ Goode, Keith (19 March 2018). "Westgold Resources Limited (WGX)" (PDF). Westgold Resources Limited. Eagle Research. p. 2. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  4. ↑ "Proposed Meekatharra Asset Acquisition from St Barbara Mines Limited" (PDF). Mercator website. 3 November 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  5. ↑ "History of Australian Gold Production". Mercator website. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  6. 1 2 The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition. p. 108.
  7. 1 2 "St Barbara annual report 2004". 27 October 2004. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  8. 1 2 Reed Acquires Meekatharra Gold Project Reed Resources ASX announcement, published: 12 January 2011, accessed: 14 April 2011
  9. 1 2 3 "Final Results Year Ended 30 June 2008" (PDF). Mercator website. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  10. ↑ "Mercator Gold is Re-establishing Meekatharra Gold District". proactiveinvestors.co.uk. 4 November 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  11. ↑ "Mercator Gold: the AIM market seems slow on the uptake". proactiveinvestors.co.uk. 1 April 2008. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  12. ↑ "Mining & Financing Update" (PDF). Mercator website. 25 September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  13. ↑ "Statement re Suspension". Mercator website. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  14. ↑ "Corporate Update" (PDF). Mercator website. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  15. ↑ "Mercator Gold enters administration while it seeks refinancing". proactiveinvestors.co.uk. 13 October 2008. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  16. 1 2 Reed to re-start WA gold mine in 2012 Archived 2012-10-04 at the Wayback Machine news.ninemsn.com.au, published: 31 March 2011, accessed: 14 April 2011
  17. ↑ "Trading Statement & Interim Results for the 12 month to 30 June 2009" (PDF). Mercator website. 31 December 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  18. ↑ Duffy, Andrew (13 June 2014). "Metals X bristles after secret bid for Meekatharra gold". Mining News. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  19. 1 2 "Metals X Limited Annual Report 2016" (PDF). www.annualreports.com. Metals X. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  20. ↑ Evans, Nick (24 November 2016). "Nod for Metals X's gold spin-off". The West Australian. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  21. 1 2 "Westgold Resources Limited Annual Report 2021". www.westgold.com.au. Westgold Resources Limited. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  22. ↑ "Westgold Resources Limited Annual Report 2017". www.westgold.com.au. Westgold Resources Limited. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "Westgold Resources Limited Annual Report 2018". www.westgold.com.au. Westgold Resources Limited. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  24. ↑ "Westgold Resources Limited Annual Report 2019". www.westgold.com.au. Westgold Resources Limited. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  25. ↑ "Westgold Resources Limited Annual Report 2020". www.westgold.com.au. Westgold Resources Limited. Retrieved 25 April 2022.

Bibliography

  • Louthean, Ross (ed.). The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition. Louthean Media Pty Ltd.
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