Mcarthur River (Northern Territory)

For the year ended, concentrator throughput increased by 12% to 2.1 million tonnes following the commissioning of increased concentrator capacity in the third quarter. Zinc metal in concentrate increased by 3% to 142,460 tonnes, due to increased throughput tonnage, but was partially offset by lower feed grade to the mill. The open pit development was completed on schedule during 2008. The capacity of the concentrator at McArthur River Mine was increased from annual throughput of 1.8 million tonnes of ore to 2.5 million tonnes of ore. The concentrator achieved the design 2.5 million tonnes throughput rate in November 2008.

Repored that the open pit development is proceeding on schedule. The overburden emplacement facility bridges were completed in the first quarter of 2008 and the 5.5 kilometre McArthur River channel was completed in May 2008. The mine levee wall works are continuing and all development works are expected to be completed in the final quarter. Also reported that the expansion of the McArthur River Mine concentrator to increase capacity to 2.5 million tonnes of ore is on track to be commissioned in late 2008 and fully operational before the end of the year. Potential locations for an Albion plant continue to be examined, including the potential for a greenfield smelter on the east coast of Australia or a brownfield expansion at an existing Xstrata Zinc smelter. McArthur River Mine continued its open pit development, with ore production increasing by 25% in the first half to over 1 million tonnes. Average head grades declined from 10.2% in 2007 to 9.0% in the first half of 2008, as increased volumes of lower grade ore were mined from open pit Stage D, in line with the mine plan.

Legal action aimed at halting the controversial expansion of one of the world's largest zinc mines has been dismissed by the Federal Court in Darwin, reports Australian Associated Press. But distraught traditional owners from Borroloola, near the Gulf of Carpentaria, have vowed to continue their fight against the $110 million diversion of the McArthur River.