Paulsens

The Paulsens Mine is a working underground gold mine near the border of the West Pilbara and Ashburton mineralisation zones in Western Australia, a resource rich area that produces iron ore and various other base metals, as well as gold

Northern Star ñ the Current Owners

Mining company Northern Star purchased the Paulsens mine project in July 2010 as an operational mine with a decline access stretching 525 metres underground, a modern camp capable of housing 120 mining personnel and a processing plant producing 350,000 tonnes of ore annually on site that was achieving a 95 percent gold recovery rate. The purchase also included joint venture arrangements with Cullen Resources Ltd (Hardy Junction) and Artemis Resources Ltd (Mt Clement).

Gold First Located at Paulsens in the 1930\'s

Mining for gold at Paulsens began during the economic depression years of the 1930\'s with the then mine known as the Melrose Mine. The present operation only began in 2005. It has been in constant production ever since having processed a total 491,000 ounces of gold averaging around 70,000rnto 80,000 ounces every year. It was originally planned to process 240,000rntonnes a year but has attained a processing level in excess of 340,000rntonnes annually. It is currently mining at a depth in excess of 500 metres.

The Present Deposit Proven Viable in 1999

Interest in reviving mining at Paulsens took hold again when Taipan Resources carried out a feasibility study in 1999. This review continued into the 2000\'s until St Barbara Ltd purchased the major shareholding in Taipan. Development of the deposit came into fruition when NuStar Mining was formed as a result of a merger between St Barbara and Taipan. NuStar was made a separate company of St Barbara. St Barbara eventually sold their interest in the Paulsens project when they were raising money to buy the gold interests of the now defunct company Sons of Gwalia. With all this going on the Paulsens project continued developing and in May 2005 the processing plant was commissioned. A month later, in June, the first bar of gold from Paulsens Mine was poured.

Ownership Changes Continued

Following the first gold bar having been successfully poured, the mine ownership matter was still not settled. The Nustar Mining Corporation merged with Intrepid Minerals Corporation to form a new company called Intrepid Mines Limited. In 2008 this new company then merged with Emperor Mines Limited. The present owner of the mine is Northern Star Resources who took over the operation in July 2010. It has remained that way ever since. Gold at the Paulsens mine is recovered in three forms; course gold in otherwise unremarkable quartz, along stylolites, and very fine gold associated with massive pyrite. The main body of gold rich ore coming from an upper and lower zone found on footwall contacts and the hanging wall. The gold deposit occurring in a 40 metre thick quartz vein between two halves of a large faulted Gabbro dyke. Further reserves are being proven with promising results that will guarantee the mines on going production will continue well into the future.