Coyote Gold Mine
Encyclopedia
The Coyote Gold Mine is a gold mine
located in the remote Tanami Desert
of Australia
. The mine has leases both in the Central Desert Shire
of the Northern Territory
and the Kimberley Region of Western Australia
, but current mining is only carried out in Western Australia, 10 km west of the border.
It is located on the land of the Tjurabalan
people, the traditional owners of the area. Tanami and the Tjurabalan people signed a native title
agreement in 2005 in order to have a mining lease granted. This also included a commitment to employ a number of Tjurabalan people.
, Newmont, Tanami Gold and Otter Gold Mines Limited. Some of the area of the Coyote mine was part of an exploration lease owned by AngloGold.
Tanami Gold acquired the tenanment in November 2003 from AngloGold for A$14 million in cash and shares. AngloGold, in turn, had acquired it when it took over Acacia Resources in January 2000.
The mine was opened on 24 May 2006 by the then Governor-General of Australia
, Michael Jeffery
, after a 12 year planning phase. It initially had a production target of 60,000 ounces per year.
In October 2006, Tanami had to temporarily suspend mining to cut costs as its treatment facility experienced difficulties in the commissioning. In late 2006, Tanami was in talks with Monarch Gold Mining in regards to a merger, but talks were later called off amid concerns that the treatment plant at Coyote would need further investment.
In January 2007, the Coyote Pit 2 was flooded in a major rain event. Mining was resumed in Pit 1 in April 2007.
With the financial crisis in 2008, Tanami had to borrow $7.7 million to continue its mining operation at Coyote.
In 2008-09, ore was mined in the Coyote Open Pit 1 and 2 as well as the Gonzales lode underground operation. Once the Coyote pit will be exhausted, which is scheduled for September 2009, two other open pits will be mined, the Kookaburra and Sandpiper pits.
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 in the remote Tanami Desert
Tanami Desert
The Tanami Desert is a desert in northern Australia situated in the Northern Territory. It has a rocky terrain with small hills. The Tanami was the Northern Territory's final frontier and was not fully explored until well into the twentieth century...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The mine has leases both in the Central Desert Shire
Central Desert Shire
The Central Desert Shire is a Local Government Area of the Northern Territory, Australia. The shire's main town is Ti Tree. The shire covers an area of and has a estimated population of 4,743 people.-History:...
of the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and the Kimberley Region of 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...
, but current mining is only carried out in Western Australia, 10 km west of the border.
It is located on the land of the Tjurabalan
Tjurabalan
Tjurabalan - - is a nomadic desert tribe from the edge of the Tanami desert near Sturt Creek and Lake Gregory in Western Australia.The combined population in 2003 was approximately 1200 people...
people, the traditional owners of the area. Tanami and the Tjurabalan people signed a native title
Native title
Native title is the Australian version of the common law doctrine of aboriginal title.Native title is "the recognition by Australian law that some Indigenous people have rights and interests to their land that come from their traditional laws and customs"...
agreement in 2005 in order to have a mining lease granted. This also included a commitment to employ a number of Tjurabalan people.
History
Serious exploration for resources, especially gold, was carried out in the region from early 2000 by a number of companies, specifically AngloGoldAngloGold
AngloGold was a gold mining company based in South Africa and majority-owned by the Anglo American group. In 2004 it merged with the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation to create the world's second-largest gold producer, AngloGold Ashanti. It's a big company....
, Newmont, Tanami Gold and Otter Gold Mines Limited. Some of the area of the Coyote mine was part of an exploration lease owned by AngloGold.
Tanami Gold acquired the tenanment in November 2003 from AngloGold for A$14 million in cash and shares. AngloGold, in turn, had acquired it when it took over Acacia Resources in January 2000.
The mine was opened on 24 May 2006 by the then Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
, Michael Jeffery
Michael Jeffery
Major General Philip Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC was the 24th Governor-General of Australia , the first Australian career soldier to be appointed governor-general...
, after a 12 year planning phase. It initially had a production target of 60,000 ounces per year.
In October 2006, Tanami had to temporarily suspend mining to cut costs as its treatment facility experienced difficulties in the commissioning. In late 2006, Tanami was in talks with Monarch Gold Mining in regards to a merger, but talks were later called off amid concerns that the treatment plant at Coyote would need further investment.
In January 2007, the Coyote Pit 2 was flooded in a major rain event. Mining was resumed in Pit 1 in April 2007.
With the financial crisis in 2008, Tanami had to borrow $7.7 million to continue its mining operation at Coyote.
In 2008-09, ore was mined in the Coyote Open Pit 1 and 2 as well as the Gonzales lode underground operation. Once the Coyote pit will be exhausted, which is scheduled for September 2009, two other open pits will be mined, the Kookaburra and Sandpiper pits.
Production
Production of the mine:| Quarter | Production | Grade | Cost per ounce |
| March 2007 | 2,981 ounces | ||
| June 2007 | 1,718 ounces | ||
| Total 2006-07 | |||
| September 2007 | 6,051 ounces | 3.27 g/t | |
| December 2007 | 11,779 ounces | A$ Australian dollar The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu... 709 |
|
| March 2008 | 6,122 ounces | 3.38 g/t | A$ 1,029 |
| June 2008 | 5,799 ounces | 3.37 g/t | |
| Total 2007-08 | 29,751 ounces | ||
| September 2008 | 4,261 ounces | 5.8 g/t | |
| December 2008 | 3,952 ounces | 2.9 g/t | |
| March 2009 | 5,971 ounces | 6.1 g/t | |
| June 2009 | 9,136 ounces | 6.0 g/t | |
| Total 2008-09 | 23,320 ounces | 5.1 g/t | |
| September 2009 | 12,821 ounces | 5.5 g/t | A$ 660 |
| December 2009 | 11,783 ounces | 7.6 g/t | |
| March 2010 | 10,456 ounces | 6.7 g/t | A$ 672 |
| June 2010 | 12,900 | 7.5 g/t | A$ 655 |
| Total 2009-10 | 47,960 onces | ||
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