The three Sudbury Operations delivered a record 1.25 million tons of ore to the third party mill in 2008. The Levack Complex, consisting of the McCreedy West and Levack mines, contributed 1.01 million tons of nickel and copper-precious metal ore, while the new Podolsky Mine produced 0.24 million tons of copper-precious metal ore.
Nickel ore shipped in 2008 totaled 682,681 tons, while copper-precious metal ore totaled 573,306 tons for an average daily production rate of 3,400 tons. Payable metals in 2008 totaled 13.1 million pounds of nickel, a record 35.2 million pounds of copper, 24,182 ounces of palladium, 18,495 ounces of platinum, 9,357 ounces of gold and 166,027 pounds of cobalt.
Table 1: Production Summary (Unaudited)
|
|
Levack |
Podolsky |
2009 |
| |
Complex |
|
Total |
|
Tons |
1,012,748 |
243,239 |
1,255,688 |
|
Payable Metals |
|
|
|
|
Nickel (Mlbs) |
11.3 |
1.8 |
13.1 |
|
Copper (Mlbs) |
9.7 |
25.5 |
35.2 |
| Platinum (ozs) |
8,959 |
9,536 |
18,495 |
| Palladium (ozs) |
14,994 |
9,188 |
24,182 |
| Gold (ozs) |
4,009 |
5,348 |
9,357 |
Included in these total production numbers were 37,665 tons of Levack nickel ore shipped to a third party processor for batch processing. The batch test was shipped and processed in the fourth quarter. The testing was initiated to provide metal recovery data and to potentially identify alternative processing options. Initial batch test results indicate that nickel and copper recovery rates were favourable, while precious metal recoveries were still to be determined. In spite of the positive batch test results, current metal prices will not support mining of Levack nickel ores. The test results do provide necessary data to determine when it is feasible to restart the Levack nickel mining.
Not included in 2008 production totals was a 15,027 ton pre-production bulk sample extracted from the Levack Footwall Deposit (“LFD”) early in 2008 through Xstrata Nickel’s Craig Mine 4000 Level crosscut. Of the total pre-production bulk sample, 10,683 tons were shipped to third party processing facilities and the 4,525 ton balance remains available for additional metallurgical testing.
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The Levack Complex Location Map
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The Levack Complex – McCreedy West and Levack Mines
The Levack Complex consists of both the McCreedy West and adjacent Levack mines, located on the North Rim of the Sudbury Basin. The two mines are linked on the 1600 Level.
McCreedy West Mine
The McCreedy West Mine produces both nickel ore and copper-precious metal ore. Nickel production in 2008 at McCreedy West came from the Inter Main and East Main deposits, while the copper-precious metal ore was produced from the 700 and PM deposits.
Total ore shipped in 2008 from the McCreedy West Mine was 760,997 tons, consisting of 430,930 tons of nickel ore and 330,067 tons of copper-precious metal ore.
Mining methods employed at the McCreedy West Mine are dictated mainly by specific ore body geometry and the need to minimize waste rock dilution. All McCreedy West deposits are accessed from surface via the main access decline to below the 1900 Level. Access to the Levack Mine from McCreedy West is on a tracked haulage drift 6,700 ft along the 1600 Level. The main access decline continues to be driven below the 1900 Level to access the lower portion of the PM Deposit (see Figure 1).
Ore is removed from the stopes to drawpoints using mechanized LHD units and then loaded into ore trucks for haulage to surface. Nickel ore from McCreedy West Mine is either hauled to surface via the main access ramp or dumped in an ore pass located above the 1600 Level for loading and rail transport in 18-ton ore cars along the 1600 Level to the Levack Mine. Upon arrival at the Levack Mine, it is dumped into an ore pass feeding a crusher station leading into the 2825 Level loading pocket and subsequently hoisted to surface up the Levack No. 2 Shaft. In 2008, a total of 123,874 tons of McCreedy West nickel ore was trammed to Levack Mine. At the end of 2008 it was determined that, at current nickel prices, it was no longer viable to produce nickel ore from McCreedy West Mine, therefore all nickel mining was suspended.