OZ Minerals has updated resource estimates at its Prominent Hill project in South Australia in a promising move for the company.
Recent drilling at the Western Copper deposit, 800m west of the Prominent Hill open pit, has increased the deposit by 32% to 245Kt of contained copper.
Inferred resources at the iron-oxide-copper-gold deposit now stand at 14.5Mt.
OZ Minerals manager of external relations Natalie Worley told MINING DAILY the resource updates follow a series of developments to expand the Prominent Hill site.
“Prominent Hill has a considerable amount of potential,” she said. “We are now continuing to work to increase resources to extend the mine’s life and maximise output.”
Commissioning of the new copper-gold mine started in February 2009, with first sales of concentrate kicking off in April 2009.
Studies are now underway to investigate the viability of an underground mine beneath the open site.
“Studies will focus on looking at the underground mining potential at Prominent Hill,” Worley said.
“The operation is performing well, and we hope with further exploration and studies we will be able to extend the mine’s life for decades to come.”