Csa

The cancellation of the Macmahon contract to continue with the CSA Mine's shaft expansion project, in June 2013, was accepted by the Cobar mining community without any great concern being expressed. Mining contractor Macmahon had earlier been awarded the contract to extend the production shaft a further 1.5 kilometres from the drive drum to the base, making it the deepest underground mine production shaft in Australia.

CSA Cobar Mine Employs Around 350 People
The CSA Cobar mine is an underground copper and silver mine located in Central Western New South Wales that employs more than 350 personnel, most of whom are local people living in Cobar. The mine is operated by Cobar Management Pty Ltd (CPML), a fully owned subsiduary of the giant international mining company, Glencore Xstrata.

Cobar Mine has a Chequered History
The CSA Mine, was originally established in 1871 and has a varied history. Production was off and on until 1964 when Broken Hill South Limited opened it up and made it a large scale operation. CSA acquired the mine from Broken Hill South in 1980 and sold it to Golden Shamrock Mines in 1992. Ashanti Goldfields became the next owner and proceeded with closing it down over 1997-98. The mine was re-opened by Glencore in 1999.

CSA Cobar Mine Focuses on Copper and Silver
Since Broken Hill South expanded the Mine in 1965 the mine has produced substantial quantities of copper, silver, lead and zinc. Although today it is mainly focused on mining copper with silver as a co-product.

Cobar Mine Produces 1.1 Million Tonnes of Ore a Year
The CSA Cobar underground mine produces over 1.1 million tonnes of copper ore annually, which, in turn, produces over 185,000 tonnes of copper concentrate. The concentrate that averages around 29 percent copper is exported to smelters in South East Asia, China and India. The mine tenaments cover an area of 820 square kilometres.

Mining Community Accepts Scrapping of Cobar Mine Extension Shaft
The decision to scrap the deep shaft extension came as a shock to Macmahon Holdings and its 200 strong workforce when the decision was announced by Glencore Xstrata, through its management company, Cobar Management Pty Ltd in June 2013. However, the decision was accepted locally as being nothing more than, 'streamling efficiencies.' Most of Macmahon's workforce were fly-in-fly-out workers and local Cobar mine workers saw it as an opportunity for Cobar Management Pty Ltd to employ more local workers, by opening up more direct and permanent mining jobs at the mine. CSA Cobar mine owner, Glencore, merged with Xstrata in early 2013. Glencore Xstrata are believed to be reviewing the future of the deep shaft expansion project although no threat exists to the jobs of the 300 people currently employed at the mine.

Cobar is situated in central New South Wales, at the junction of Kidman Way and the Barrier Highway. The town has modern amenities such as education, social and health facilities. The Cobar Shire covers an area close to the size of Tasmania, 45,609 square kilometres. It houses a population of over 5,000 people who mostly rely on the mining industry for their income either directly or indirectly.

Note- GlencoreXstrata was formed following a merger of Glencore International and Xstrata, the merger was completed in May 2013. But a decision was made by the Company's shareholders during the annual general meeting and the announcement was made in May 2014 that Glencore will drop Xstrata and be simply known as Glencore.