Mining Projects in New South Wales and South Australia

The following are key projects either underway or due to commence in New South Wales and South Australia.

OLYMPIC DAM, South Australia

Operators: BHP Billiton

Cost:  $1.04 trillion

Location:    Roxby Downs

Timeframe:      Stage 1: 2016, Stage 2: 2018, Stage 3: 2021

Employment:  10,000 construction jobs for Stage 3,400 for Stage 2 and 3,400 for Stage 3

Status:    BHP Billiton moved closer to ramping up its Olympic Dam copper, uranium and gold deposit in South Australia, releasing responses to more than 4000 queries concerning its environmental impact statement about a huge expansion plan in May 2011.  The responses are the miner's final submission to state and federal governments before they make a decision on whether BHP can go ahead with a staged expansion that is expected to cost more than $US20 billion and over 100 years will create the world's biggest open pit.  There are no changes to the size or scope of the project from original submissions.  BHP Billiton plans to increase annual mine output from about 200,000 tonnes of copper and 4000 tonnes of uranium to 750,000 tonnes of copper and 19,000 tonnes of uranium over 10 years.  BHP Billiton expects decisions from governments in the second half, paving the way for board approval next year.

RAVENSWORTH COAL PROJECT, New South Wales

Operators: Xstrata

Cost:  $1.4bn

Location:  Hunter Valley 

Timeframe:     18 month construction period, commencing in 2011

Employment:   250 construction and 550 operational jobs over 29 year life-of-mine

Status:   XSTRATA has given the formal go-ahead for the development of its 8 million-tonne-a-year Ravensworth North open-cut coal mine in the Hunter Valley.  Construction started in early 2011, with first shipments of the mine's thermal and semi-soft coking coal expected by July 2012.  Situated within the existing Cumnock Coal and Ravensworth complex, the Ravensworth North open cut mine will produce 8 million tonnes per annum of export thermal and semi soft coking coal at full production, with a mine life of approximately 26 years. The Project area encompasses the existing Xstrata Coal Ravensworth and Cumnock Operations.