Nickel West
Nickel West is a fully integrated nickel business.
About Nickel West
Nickel West is the world's third largest producer of nickel in concentrate. All our operations are in Western Australia and include:
- Mt Keith Operation - nickel in concentrate
- Leinster Nickel Operation - nickel in concentrate
- Kambalda Nickel Concentrator - nickel in concentrate
- Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter - nickel matte
- Kwinana Nickel Refinery - nickel metal
Nickel West exports around 100,000 tonnes of nickel each year and provides significant benefits to the Western Australian economy and communities in which it operates.
A fully integrated nickel business
Nickel West is a fully integrated nickel business comprising mines, concentrators, a smelter and a refinery.
Nickel ore is mined at Leinster and Mt Keith and concentrated on-site. The combined concentrate product is transported by rail to the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter. The Kalgoorlie smelter produces nickel matte and sulphuric acid.
In Financial Year 2008, Nickel West exported approximately 31 per cent of its nickel matte production. The remaining matte was processed at the Kwinana Nickel Refinery to produce nickel metal in the form of briquettes and powder, as well as a number of intermediate products.
Nickel West Operations
Mt Keith operation is an open-cut mining operation with a nickel concentrator plant.
Mt Keith Operation
Mt Keith Operation is a large open-cut mine with a nickel concentrator, located 460 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
Ore from the mine is delivered to the concentrator to be crushed and processed. The concentrator processes approximately 11.5 million tonnes of ore per year.
Nickel concentrate is transported by road to Leinster Nickel Operation for further processing before it is transported to the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter by public rail.
Operations at Leinster include open cut and underground mines and a concentration plant.
Leinster Nickel Operation
Leinster Nickel Operation is located 375 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
Operations at Leinster include open cut and underground mines and a concentration plant.
Concentrate produced at Leinster Nickel Operation is shipped by rail to Nickel West's Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter for further processing.
Leinster Nickel Operation concentration plant has an operating capacity of three million tonnes of ore per year.
The Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter produces nickel matte containing 68 per cent nickel.
Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter
The Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter produces nickel matte and sulphuric acid. The smelter has a capacity of 110,000 tonnes per annum of nickel matte.
Kambalda Nickel Concentrator
The Kambalda Nickel Concentrator is located 56 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie.
Ore is sourced through tolling and concentrate purchase arrangements with third parties in the Kambalda region.
The Kambalda Concentrator has a capacity of approximately 1.6 million tonnes per year of ore.
Kwinana Nickel Refinery produces nickel briquettes that meet the specifications of the London Metal Exchange.
Kwinana Nickel Refinery
Kwinana Nickel Refinery is located around 30 kilometres south of Perth in the Kwinana industrial area.
The Kwinana Nickel Refinery uses the Sherritt-Gordon ammonia leach process to convert nickel matte from the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter into London Metal Exchange grade nickel briquettes.
The refinery also produces nickel powder and a number of intermediate products, including copper sulphide, cobalt-nickel sulphide and ammonium sulphate.
Kwinana Nickel Refinery has a capacity of approximately 65,000 tonnes per annum of nickel metal.
Nickel West aims to extend the life of our current assets in the Northern Goldfields.
Exploration
Nickel West is pursuing high quality mineral development opportunities that can add significant value to its portfolio.
Our aim is to extend the life of our current assets in the Northern Goldfields through extensive geophysical and drilling programs, while continuing to explore greenfield opportunities.
Our portfolio of regional nickel sulphide exploration projects in Western Australia includes 100 per cent owned interests as well as joint ventures with other exploration companies.
Nickel West exports bulk nickel sulphide concentrate to customers around the world, via the Esperance Port.
Ports
Nickel West exports bulk nickel sulphide concentrate through the Esperance port.
Nickel West exports nickel briquettes, powder and matte through the Port of Fremantle.
A Building Healthy Community initiative targets Aboriginal health and wellbeing in the remote community of Wiluna, located close to Nickel West's Mt Keith Operation.
Community
Nickel West community relations focuses on engaging with communities close to its operations and developing sustainable programs in the areas of education and youth, wellbeing, environment and cultural heritage.
