Cape range limestone

The Cape Range open cut limestone mine that is located off the Charles Knife Road in the Exmouth Gulf has its lime kiln located eight kilometres south of the town of Exmouth in Western Australia. The mine is located approximately 1,300 kilometres north of Perth. The Cape Range mine, that includes the quicklime plant, is owned and operated by a private company, Exmouth Limestone Pty Ltd.

Cape Range Limestone Managed by Swan Cement

Exmouth Limestone was founded in 1998 under the name of Whitecrest Enterprises Pty Ltd. The company, which has its headquarters in Adelaide, South Australia, began as a joint venture involving Whitecrest Enterprises and Adelaide Brighton Cement, with the Cape Range project managed by Swan Cement.

Exmouth Limestone Pty Ltd holds a licence over about 200 million tonnes of high grade limestone at its Cape Range mine, with grades ranging from 97 to 99 percent. In 1997 Exmouth Limestone agreed to jointly develop the deposit with Swan Portland Cement. The new venture, soon after, established the 100,000 tonne per year lime kiln near Exmouth.

Cape Range Limestone Mine Replaced Swan Cement's Import Needs

Production from the Cape Range mine was sufficient to supply all of Swan Portland Cement's requirements to successfully operate its new kiln, as well as replace the company's imports of metallurgical grade limestone, as well as having enough surplus to enable it to create an export market.

The limestone mined at the Cape Range mine was transported onto ships moored at Exmouth via two 600 tonne barges until permanent ship loading facilities were built that catered for a continuous supply exceeding 100 million tonnes of limestone annually.

Limestone Mining at the Cape Range Mine Must Remain 50 Metres Above Groundwater Level

The limestone mined at Exmouth Limestone Pty Ltd's Cape Range mine has a thickness of about 100 metres. Mining is not permitted to take place any closer than 50 metres from the groundwater table.