Big Bell Gold Mine
Encyclopedia
The Big Bell Gold Mine is a gold mine
located at Big Bell
, 24 km north-west of Cue
, Western Australia
. The mine was owned and operated by Harmony Gold
at the time of its closure in June 2003, having produced 2.6 million ounces of gold during its lifetime, but was sold to Aragon Resources Limited in January 2010.
The mine was, for a short time in 2008, owned by Monarch Gold Mining Company Ltd, who went into administration in June 2008. Big Bell never entered production under Monarch's ownership.
The mine reopened in the 1980s, then owned jointly by ACM Limited and Placer Pacific, having been described as Australia's biggest unexploited gold deposit at the time.
The mine was later owned by Normandy Mining
, until October 1999, when New Hampton Goldfields Limited acquired Big Bell for A$12 million in cash and A$17 million in shares. New Hampton was taken over by Harmony Gold
in April 2001 for A$54 million.
Harmony closed the mine in June 2003, having found previous assesements of the grade at Big Bell over optimistic and making mining the deposits thereby unprofitable.
The Big Bell processing plant was removed from January 2007 onwards for a cost of A$5.2 million and transported to Westonia
, to become part of the new Edna May Gold Mine
.
Monarch Gold purchased the mine from Harmony in November 2007 in a deal that saw the company acquire Hill 50
, Big Bell, St George, Star and the Great Fingall deposits for A$65 million, 30 million of this in cash. Monarch already owned the Mount Ida
and the Davyhurst Gold Mine
, who had both recently entered production at the time.
Monarch was to take possession of the mine on 1 April 2008 and complete the financial transaction on 30 June 2008, but failed to make the final payment before entering administration, despite receiving improved sales conditions and a cash-cost reduction.
Monarch appointed Pitcher Partners as voluntary administrators on 10 July 2008, with all mining operations thereby being put on hold. Big Bell thereby returned to Harmony's ownership, Harmony not having received the final payment of the sale.
In January 2010, the mine was sold to Aragon Resources Limited for A$3 million, who chose to rename the project to Murchison Bell. The mine was initially sold to Fulcrum Resources, which was quickley acquired by Aragon.
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
located at Big Bell
Big Bell, Western Australia
Big Bell is a derelict town in Western Australia near the town of Cue, established in 1936, and was home to the Big Bell Gold Mine.Mining ceased in 2003 and the plant was dismantled and transported to the Westonia minesite in 2007....
, 24 km north-west of Cue
Cue, Western Australia
- Further reading:* 'Along the Cue railway. Inspection of line with suggested improvements, visit to Georgina Siding'. West Australian, 11 June 1898, p. 5-External links:* *...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. The mine was owned and operated by Harmony Gold
Harmony Gold (mining)
Harmony Gold is the third largest gold mining company in South Africa , the 12th largest in the world and the 5th largest gold producer in the world. Harmony and its subsidiaries conduct underground and surface gold mining and related activities, including exploration, processing, smelting and...
at the time of its closure in June 2003, having produced 2.6 million ounces of gold during its lifetime, but was sold to Aragon Resources Limited in January 2010.
The mine was, for a short time in 2008, owned by Monarch Gold Mining Company Ltd, who went into administration in June 2008. Big Bell never entered production under Monarch's ownership.
History
The historical Big Bell mine produced 730,000 ounces of gold at 4.04 g/t from 1904 to 1955. The mine was a very big, low grade ore deposit at Paton's Find, and was developed by the Premier Gold Mining Company in the 1930s. With the closure of the mine in the mid-1950s, the town of Big Bell declined and was virtually deserted.The mine reopened in the 1980s, then owned jointly by ACM Limited and Placer Pacific, having been described as Australia's biggest unexploited gold deposit at the time.
The mine was later owned by Normandy Mining
Normandy Mining
Normandy Mining was an Australian mining company which predominantly mined gold. Normandy was, during much of the late 20th century, Australia's largest gold miner....
, until October 1999, when New Hampton Goldfields Limited acquired Big Bell for A$12 million in cash and A$17 million in shares. New Hampton was taken over by Harmony Gold
Harmony Gold (mining)
Harmony Gold is the third largest gold mining company in South Africa , the 12th largest in the world and the 5th largest gold producer in the world. Harmony and its subsidiaries conduct underground and surface gold mining and related activities, including exploration, processing, smelting and...
in April 2001 for A$54 million.
Harmony closed the mine in June 2003, having found previous assesements of the grade at Big Bell over optimistic and making mining the deposits thereby unprofitable.
The Big Bell processing plant was removed from January 2007 onwards for a cost of A$5.2 million and transported to Westonia
Westonia, Western Australia
Westonia is a small town located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, 10 kilometres north of the Great Eastern Highway. It is the main town in the Shire of Westonia.-History:...
, to become part of the new Edna May Gold Mine
Edna May Gold Mine
The Edna May Gold Mine is a gold mine located at Westonia, Western Australia.It is operated by Catalpa Resources. The mine, planned to be in full production by the end of July 2010, is scheduled to produce in excess of 100,000 ounces of gold per annum...
.
Monarch Gold purchased the mine from Harmony in November 2007 in a deal that saw the company acquire Hill 50
Hill 50 Gold Mine
The Hill 50 Gold Mine is a gold mine located 4 km north-west of Mount Magnet, Western Australia. The mine was, until July 2010, owned by Harmony Gold and had been placed in care and maintenance since 2007...
, Big Bell, St George, Star and the Great Fingall deposits for A$65 million, 30 million of this in cash. Monarch already owned the Mount Ida
Mount Ida Gold Mine
The Mount Ida Gold Mine is a gold mine located 86 km north-west of Menzies, Western Australia.The mine was recently acquired by Swan Gold Mining Limited, having formerly been owned by Monarch Gold Mining Company Ltd, and went on care and maintenance when Monarch went into administration in...
and the Davyhurst Gold Mine
Davyhurst Gold Mine
The Davyhurst Gold Mine is a gold mine located 53 km south-west of Menzies, Western Australia, near Davyhurst.The mine was recently acquired by Swan Gold Mining Limited, having formerly been owned by Monarch Gold Mining Company Ltd, and went on care and maintenance shortly before Monarch went...
, who had both recently entered production at the time.
Monarch was to take possession of the mine on 1 April 2008 and complete the financial transaction on 30 June 2008, but failed to make the final payment before entering administration, despite receiving improved sales conditions and a cash-cost reduction.
Monarch appointed Pitcher Partners as voluntary administrators on 10 July 2008, with all mining operations thereby being put on hold. Big Bell thereby returned to Harmony's ownership, Harmony not having received the final payment of the sale.
In January 2010, the mine was sold to Aragon Resources Limited for A$3 million, who chose to rename the project to Murchison Bell. The mine was initially sold to Fulcrum Resources, which was quickley acquired by Aragon.
Fatality
Rodney George Criddle, a Jumbo operator at Big Bell, died on 2 September 2000 in an underground rock fall. The underground operations of the mine were closed until the 15 September following the accident.Production
Production of the mine:| Year | Production | Grade | Cost per ounce |
| 1998-99 | 140,396 ounces | 2.93 g/t | US$300 |
| 2000 | 423,355 ounces | 2.85 g/t | A$419 |
| 2001 | 169,342 ounces | 2.8 g/t | A$417 |
| 2002 1 | 71,676 ounces | 2.34 g/t | |
| 2003 2 | 509,654 ounces | 2.22 g/t | |
| 2004–present | inactive | ||
- 1 Figures for January to June 2002 only.
- 2 Result for Harmony's combined Australian operations, consisting of Big Bell, the South Kalgoorlie Gold MineSouth Kalgoorlie Gold MineThe South Kalgoorlie Gold Mine is a gold mine located south-west of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The mine is sometimes also referred to as South Kal Mines - New Celebration, being a merger of the former New Celebration Gold Mine and the Jubilee Gold Mine, which were combined in 2002.It was...
, the Hill 50 Gold MineHill 50 Gold MineThe Hill 50 Gold Mine is a gold mine located 4 km north-west of Mount Magnet, Western Australia. The mine was, until July 2010, owned by Harmony Gold and had been placed in care and maintenance since 2007...
and the Gidgee Gold MineGidgee Gold MineThe Gidgee Gold Mine is a gold mine in Western Australia, 82 km north of the town of Sandstone. The mine was, until recently, owned by APEX Minerals NL, but purchased by Panoramic Resources in February 2011. The mine is currently in care and maintenance....
(sold in December 2003).
Sources
- The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition, Louthean Media Pty Ltd, Editor: Ross Louthean
- Western Australian Mineral and Petroleum Statistics Digest 2008 Page 34: Principal Mineral and Petroleum Producers - Gold
External links
- MINEDEX website
- The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Seismicity at Big Bell Mine By: M. H. Turner & J. R. Player