Mariners

The Western Australian nickel mine, Mariners, is located in the centre of Lake Zot in the Eastern Goldfields near Kambalda. It became flooded during exploration drilling, totally wrecking the drill rigs and therefore earned the name Mariners.

Mariners Mine was Written Off in 1999 and Given Away to Mincor in 2001
Despite this early setback, exploration continued and the mine was developed and operated by WMC Resources from 1991 to 1999. During this period Mariners nickel mine produced over one million tonnes of ore grading at 2.53 percent nickel that produced 28,190 tonnes of contained nickel metal. The mine was subsequently written off and closed by WMC in 1999 following another flood that occurred at the same time when world nickel prices were low. The current owner, Mincor, acquired the Mariners Mine for no cost in 2001 when it purchased the nearby Mitel nickel mine.

Six Months of De-watering Needed Before Mining Could Recommence at Mariners in 2004
Mincor began undertaking feasibility studies regarding the reopening of the Mariners Mine during 2002 and 2003 resulting in the project receiving approval to reopen in 2004. The first six months was spent pumping water out of the flooded mine. Once de-watering was completed mining at the lake once again commenced. From 2004 to September 2012, the Mariners Mine has produced 1.14 million tonnes of ore grading at 2.6 percent nickel that has produced 29,600 tonnes of contained nickel.

Micor Decide to go it Alone at the Mariners Mine
In 2011 the Mariners Mine moved away from using contractors to operate its mining operations to becoming an owner operated mine with a workforce drawn from nearby communities. This has resulted in the mine becoming a more efficient and low cost operation.

Mariners Mine Part of the World Class Kambalda Nickel District
The Mariners Mine is located within the Kambalda Nickel District in the Eastern Goldfields, one of the world's best nickel provinces. The Kambalda Nickel Province having produced more than 1.4 million tonnes of nickel metal since the first discovery was made in 1968. The district generates over 35,000 tonnes of nickel metal annually. Mincor has been the main nickel producer in the district since it first became involved in the area in 2001. Since then, to June 2012, it had produced 143,000 tonnes of nickel ore in its own right. During that time Mincor has grown its nickel reserve sixfold by replacing mined out reserves with new reserves as a result of exploration and acquisitions. The Mariners Mine presently has an in-ground reserve of 105,000 tonnes grading at four percent nickel which would create 4,020 tonnes of nickel metal and an inferred resource of 346,000 tonnes grading at 4.5 percent nickel for a total of 15,700 tonnes of nickel metal.

The company currently operate the McMahon, Mitel and Mariners mines in the Kambalda District, along with various exploration and resource level projects. All its currently operating mines are narrow vein underground operations and all are 100 percent owned by Mincor.

Ore From Mariners Mine Processed and Purchased by BHP Billiton
Ore from the Mariners Mine is toll-treated at BHP Billiton's Nickel West concentrator plant at nearby Kambalda. The concentrate produced at this plant is purchased by BHP Billiton under a long term off-take agreement between the two companies.

High Arsenic Content in Mariners Ore
The Mariners Mine is well known for its very high arsenic content that is contained as common arsenopyrite, gersdorffite and nickeline along with other arseno-sulphide minerals that were often found in such ores during earlier years of mining. This has sometimes restricted the output from the mine, owing to the need to blend Mariners ore with other feedstock containing lower levels of arsenic, in order to avoid penalties being incurred for providing concentrate containing excessive arsenic.
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