Murrin Murrin Mine

Murrin Murrin

Location
Murrin Murrin Location in Western Australia
Location	Leonora
State	Western Australia
Country	Australia
Coordinates	28°46′03″S 121°53′38″E
Production
Products	Nickel, cobalt
Production	Nickel: 31,100 t Cobalt: 2,100 t
Financial year	2023[1]
History
Opened	1999
Owner
Company	Glencore
Website	Glencore website
Year of acquisition	2011

The Murrin Murrin Mine is a major nickel-cobalt mining operation being conducted in the North Eastern Goldfields, approximately 45 km east of Leonora, Western Australia. The project was initiated as a joint venture between Murrin Murrin Holdings Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anaconda Nickel Limited (whose share was 60%) and Glenmurrin Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Glencore International AG, which had a 40% share.[2] In 2003 Anaconda changed its name to Minara Resources Limited. In November 2011, Minara Resources was fully acquired and is now wholly owned by Glencore International.[3] The mine opened in 1999.[4]

Geology

Murrin Murrin mines a laterite nickel ore formed by deep weathering of a peridotite ultramafic rock.

Problems with the process plant

Significant problems and delays were encountered in the design, construction and commissioning of the ore process plant at Murrin Murrin.[5]

The designers, Fluor Daniel eventually had to pay the joint venture partners A$155 million in an out-of-court settlement. It was their second successful claim against Fluor, Murrin Murrin owners having been awarded $147 million from the first phase of their claim against Fluor, a sum which ultimately was reduced to $39.8 million. The Murrin Murrin project's original cost estimate of $1 billion had ^[clarification needed] $1.6 billion.[6]

Production

Production of the mine:

Year	Nickel	Cobalt
2000[4]	13,027 t	904 t
2001[4]	25,991 t	1,253 t
2002[4]	30,009 t	1,838 t
2003[7][8][9]	28,147 t	2,309 t
2004[10]	27,950 t	1,982 t
2005[10]	28,240 t	1,750 t
2006[10]	31,524 t	2,096 t
2007[10]	27,585 t	1,884 t
2008[10]	30,514 t	2,018 t
2009[11]	32,977 t	3,250 t
2010[12]	28,500 t	1,900 t
2011[12]	28,500 t	1,900 t
2012[13]	33,410 t	2,390 t
2013[14]	40,000 t	2,700 t
2014[14]	36,400 t	2,700 t
2015[15]	37,500 t	2,800t
2016[15]	35,300 t	2,800 t
2017[16]	34,700 t	2,700 t
2018[16]	35,500 t	2,900 t
2019[17]	37,000t	3,400 t
2020[17]	36,000 t	2,900 t
2021[17]	30,000 t	2,500 t
2022[18]	35,700 t	3,000 t
2023[1]	31,100 t	2,100 t

References

1. "Glencore Full Year Production Report 2023" (PDF). www.glencore.com. Glencore. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
2. Ladbury, Richard A. (1998). "Resource Project Financing: Capital Markets Project Financing" (PDF). AMPLA Yearbook. Melbourne: Australian Mining and Petroleum Law Association. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
3. Glencore mops up Minara Resources takeover, The Australian, October 14, 2011.
4. The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003–2004 Edition, page: 39
5. Nedeljkovic, Zoran. (1998) Andrew Forrest : a key to Murrin Murrin's past and future Mining chronicle (West Perth, W.A.) Late June 1998, p. 6
6. Minara handed $155m for Murrin mine fiasco The Sydney Morning Herald, published: 6 May 2004, accessed: 10 September 2009
7. "Financial report half year ending 31 December 2003" (PDF). ASX. Minara Resources Limited. 18 February 2004. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
8. "Quarterly report for the period ended 30 June 2003" (PDF). Perth, WA: Anaconda Nickel Limited. 29 July 2003. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
9. "Quarterly report for the period ended 31 March 2003". Perth, WA: Anaconda Nickel Limited. 23 April 2003. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
10. "2008 Annual Report" (PDF). Perth, WA: Minara Resources Limited. 27 March 2009. p. 16. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
11. "Quarterly report 31 December 2009" (PDF). Perth, WA: Minara Resources Limited. 19 January 2010. p. 2. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
12. "Annual Report 2011" (PDF). Baar, Switzerland: Glencore. 10 April 2012. p. 53. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
13. "Annual Report 2012" (PDF). Baar, Switzerland: Glencore. 25 March 2013. p. 51. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
14. "Annual Report 2014" (PDF). Baar, Switzerland: Glencore. 18 March 2015. p. 53. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
15. "Annual Report 2016" (PDF). Baar, Switzerland: Glencore. 2 March 2017. p. 63. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
16. "Annual Report 2018" (PDF). Baar, Switzerland: Glencore. 1 March 2019. p. 77. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
17. "Murrin Murrin Mine". Mining Data Solutions. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
18. "Glencore Annual Report 2022" (PDF). www.glencore.com. Glencore. Retrieved 7 March 2023.

External links

• Murrin Murrin Deposit Summary Report
• Murrin Murrin North (GME) Deposit Summary Report
• Murrin Murrin East Deposit Summary Report
• Minara, Murrin Murrin
• MINEDEX website: Murrin Murrin / Minara Database of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
• Minara Resources website
• Glencore website