Hillgrove Resources’ wholly owned subsidiary Hillgrove Copper has entered into a purchase agreement with Lennard Shelf (Teck Resources Limited/Xstrata plc) to acquire the Lennard Shelf Pillara Mine’s process plant and associated equipment and buildings for the Kanmantoo Copper/Gold Project.
The Pillara Plant purchase comprises all of the plant and equipment at site; being the float plant which includes a ball mill and SAG mill, office buildings, crusher, plant spares and consumables, workshops, warehouse building, sample preparation facility, laboratory, fuel farm and product storage buildings.
Hillgrove Resources Managing Director David Archer said the purchase provides a reduction in the Project’s capital expenditure by an estimated $20 million after cost of dismantling and modification (total cost to complete construction now estimated at $99.5 million).
The Pillara Mine, located 375 km east of Broome in Western Australia, was established by Western Metals in 1998 as a lead/zinc mine. The Mine operated until 2003 and then by the Lennard Shelf Pty Limited joint venture from 2006 until it was shut down in September 2008.
Design throughput for the mine and plant was 2.7 Mtpa.