Lead Metal Production at Paroo Station Mine Using …
137
Paroo Station—Operating History
Location
The Paroo Station lead mine is located adjacent the Goldfields Highway, approximately 30 km west of Wiluna and 150 km east of Meekatharra. The owner and
operator of the Paroo Station lead mine is Rosslyn Hill Mining Pty Ltd (RHM). The
Paroo Station lead mine hosts one of the largest pure lead deposits in the world.
The Paroo Station lead mine discovery dates from the 1980s. The Magellen deposit
was discovered in 1991 with a further four local deposits discovered in 1997 and
onwards. All deposits are currently held by RHM. The lead mineralogy is predominantly cerussite (PbCO 3 ) with minor anglesite (PbSO 4 ) and other trace lead minerals
including galena (PbS).
In 2003, a JV between Lead FX and Sentient Funds arranged for project finance
to build a mine and concentrator to produce a lead concentrate for shipment. Construction commenced in 2004 with the first concentrate shipped in 2005 through the
port of Esperance.
Historical Operation, Resources, and Challenges
There were three operational phases for the mine. The initial period from 2005 to
2007 produced 181,000 t of Pb concentrate. Mining was stopped due to environmental contamination arising from shipment of bulk lead concentrate through the
Esperance port. After a period of formal review and introduction of new shipping
and transport protocols, the mine restarted and operated from 2010 to 2011 and
shipped a further 81,000 t of Pb concentrate in containers through Fremantle port.
This was stopped again to investigate a further issue related to environmental monitoring and analysis before resuming operation and export for the period 2013–2015
(202,000 t of Pb concentrate shipped). The mine and concentrator were placed on
care and maintenance in 2015 due to low lead prices and an unfavorable AUD:USD
exchange rate. Table 1 shows the historical production from Paroo Station lead mine.
Table 1 Historical production statistics
Operating phase
Unit
2005–2007
2010–2011
2013–2015
Total
Ore milled
kt
2197
1035
2447
5680
Head grade Pb
%
7.3
6.8
7.1
7.1
Recovery Pb
%
71.7
73.8
77.6
74.6
Conc. Pb produced
kt
181
81
202
464
Conc. Pb grade
%
64.0
64.8
66.8
65.4
Sold Pb in conc.
kt
116
52
135
303
137
Paroo Station—Operating History
Location
The Paroo Station lead mine is located adjacent the Goldfields Highway, approximately 30 km west of Wiluna and 150 km east of Meekatharra. The owner and
operator of the Paroo Station lead mine is Rosslyn Hill Mining Pty Ltd (RHM). The
Paroo Station lead mine hosts one of the largest pure lead deposits in the world.
The Paroo Station lead mine discovery dates from the 1980s. The Magellen deposit
was discovered in 1991 with a further four local deposits discovered in 1997 and
onwards. All deposits are currently held by RHM. The lead mineralogy is predominantly cerussite (PbCO 3 ) with minor anglesite (PbSO 4 ) and other trace lead minerals
including galena (PbS).
In 2003, a JV between Lead FX and Sentient Funds arranged for project finance
to build a mine and concentrator to produce a lead concentrate for shipment. Construction commenced in 2004 with the first concentrate shipped in 2005 through the
port of Esperance.
Historical Operation, Resources, and Challenges
There were three operational phases for the mine. The initial period from 2005 to
2007 produced 181,000 t of Pb concentrate. Mining was stopped due to environmental contamination arising from shipment of bulk lead concentrate through the
Esperance port. After a period of formal review and introduction of new shipping
and transport protocols, the mine restarted and operated from 2010 to 2011 and
shipped a further 81,000 t of Pb concentrate in containers through Fremantle port.
This was stopped again to investigate a further issue related to environmental monitoring and analysis before resuming operation and export for the period 2013–2015
(202,000 t of Pb concentrate shipped). The mine and concentrator were placed on
care and maintenance in 2015 due to low lead prices and an unfavorable AUD:USD
exchange rate. Table 1 shows the historical production from Paroo Station lead mine.
Table 1 Historical production statistics
Operating phase
Unit
2005–2007
2010–2011
2013–2015
Total
Ore milled
kt
2197
1035
2447
5680
Head grade Pb
%
7.3
6.8
7.1
7.1
Recovery Pb
%
71.7
73.8
77.6
74.6
Conc. Pb produced
kt
181
81
202
464
Conc. Pb grade
%
64.0
64.8
66.8
65.4
Sold Pb in conc.
kt
116
52
135
303