Goro Tiebaghi

Located on the South Pacific island of New Caledonia, approximately 1,500km east of Australia and approximately 2,300km northwest of New Zealand the Goro Nickel-Cobalt project is one of the best undeveloped laterite ore bodies in the world having excellent average grades, consisting of 55 million tonnes of estimated measured and indicated mineral reserves, and a large resource base.

With an expected annual output of 60,000 metric tonnes of nickel and 4,300 to 5,000 metric tonnes of cobalt, construction of the Goro project is expected to be complete in 2008 with commissioning expected early in 2009. As of June 2007, construction was two-thirds complete and engineering work was 90 per cent complete.

The Goro Deposits will be mined by conventional open pit methods using hydraulic excavators and rigid frame trucks. Planned operations will utilize hydraulic excavators in the 13.6 cubic meter range for loading 100 tonne haul trucks. A fleet of two 4.4 cubic meters backhoes loading 50 tonne haul trucks will excavate some of the pit material as well as excavate and maintain pit drainage structures. Both overhand and underhand mining methods will be planned as necessary for the local conditions prevailing in the pit.