Groote eylandt

The Groote Eylandt open cut manganese mine, a part of the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reserve, produces close to five million tonnes of manganese annually, a quarter of the world total manganese production. It covers an area of 84 square kilometres on an island of 2,260 square kilometres in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Groote Eylandt Commissioned in 1965

The Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) was commissioned in 1965 to mine high grade manganese ore. The mining method is undertaken by open cut strip mining. Once the ore has been removed the mined out area is backfilled with previously stored overburden and top soil. Rehabilitation then takes place with the planting of native trees and grasses.

Much of the Groote Eylandt Product is Smelted in Tasmania

The Groote Eylandt Mine produces over 15 percent of the globe's total manganese production with 70 percent exported to countries around the world from it's own port infrastructure on the island that is advantageously close to the Asian market. Much of the Groote Eylandt manganese is smelted at TEMCO (Tasmanian Electro Metallurgical Company). TEMCO is a ferroalloy smelter situated at Bell Bay, north of Launceston in Tasmania at the other end of the continent. TEMCO, that began operations in 1962, is the only manganese ferroalloy smelter remaining in Australia. It contains four furnaces as well as a sinter plant. Manganese ore quality is strictly monitored at Groote Eylandt throughout the entire production line that ensures ore is carefully blended to ensure consistency and good quality.

Mine Workers Well Catered For

The Groote Eylandt Mine is only a one and a half hour flight from Cairns and one hour from Darwin with workers being flown in and out to complete their shifts. While rostered on the GEMCO employees are housed in modern mining camp accommodation with facilities second to none anywhere else in the country. These facilities include the following:

ï Rooms that have an en suit, air conditioning, a refrigerator and a television set

ï Camp recreation club

ï Scenic walking track

ï Sports oval

ï Squash courts

ï Tennis courts

ï Golf course

ï Swimming pool

ï Beachside workout area

ï Indoor gymnasium

The island is 60 kilometres long from north to south and 50 kilometres in width from east to west. Most of it is rather low with an average above sea level height of no more than 15 metres. However one feature is that of Central Hill that rises to 219 metres.

Ongoing Expansion Plans Increasing Production Levels

Phase two of the Groote Eylandt expansion plan was approved in July 201. Prior to this phase one had been successfully commissioned in April 2009. The phase two came at a cost of $279 million but on its completion, in late 2013, the beneficiated manganese capacity would be increased from the current 4.2 million tonnes a year to 4.8 million tonnes. This increase was to occur as a result of the introduction of a dense media circuit by-pass facility. This expansion program would also include improved road and port facilities that when finished would lift port capacity to 5.9 million tonnes annually that would allow a reserve capacity of 1.1 million tonnes for future expansions.