Century Mine
{{Short description|Mine in Queensland, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox mine
| name = Century Mine
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| place = Lawn Hill
| subdivision_type = State
| state/province = Queensland
| country = Australia
| owner = CRA Limited (1990–1997)
Pasminco (1997–2004)
Zinifex (2004–2008)
OZ Minerals (2008–2009)
MMG Limited (2009–2017)
New Century Resources (2017–2023), Sibanye-Stillwater (2023-)
| official website = https://www.sibanyestillwater.com/business/australia/century/
| discovery year = 1990
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| products = Lead and zinc concentrates
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| opening year = {{Start date|1999}}
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| closing year = 2015
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Century Mine was a large open cut zinc, lead and silver mine at Lawn Hill, {{convert|250|km|abbr=on}} northwest of Mount Isa in North West Queensland, Australia. It was Australia's largest open pit zinc mine. Discovered by CRA Limited, mining was initiated by Pasminco, continued by Zinifex, then OZ Minerals and then MMG Limited who mined the project until closure. The property was then owned by New Century Resources who were bought by Sibanye-Stillwater in 2023.https://www.sibanyestillwater.com/business/australia/century/ The mine is in a phase of tailings reprocessing.{{cite web |title=Century Mine Project |url=https://www.newcenturyresources.com/century-mine-project/ |website=New Century Resources |accessdate=28 February 2020 |archive-date=28 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228064425/https://www.newcenturyresources.com/century-mine-project/ |url-status=live }}
History
The Century zinc deposit was discovered by CRA Limited in 1990 on Waanyi land.{{cite web |last1=Cook |first1=Fred |title=Sale of the Century Zinc Project |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/sitecore/content/Home/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Publications_Archive/CIB/CIB9697/97cib19 |publisher=Parliamentary Library |accessdate=21 August 2020 |location=Canberra |date=1996 |archive-date=18 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518205106/https://www.aph.gov.au/sitecore/content/Home/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Publications_Archive/CIB/CIB9697/97cib19 |url-status=live }} Development of the mine commenced in 1997.{{cite web |url=http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century/Infrastructure.aspx |title=Infrastructure |publisher=Minmetals Resources |accessdate=31 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512125723/http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century/Infrastructure.aspx |archive-date=12 May 2012 |url-status=dead }} The mine began open-pit production in 1999.{{cite web |url=http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx |title=Century |publisher=MMG Limited |accessdate=21 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808173417/http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx |archivedate=8 August 2012 }}
Open-pit mining was completed at Century in August 2015, with final processing of Century-sourced ore occurring in November 2015.{{cite web |url=http://www.mmg.com/en/Investors-and-Media/News/2015/10/01/Mining-completed-at-MMG-Century-mine.aspx?backitem=EEFD6140133B4A8D8C92E3A626155A9D |title=Mining completed at MMG Century mine |publisher=MMG Limited |accessdate=21 December 2016 |archive-date=21 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221090237/http://www.mmg.com/en/Investors-and-Media/News/2015/10/01/Mining-completed-at-MMG-Century-mine.aspx?backitem=EEFD6140133B4A8D8C92E3A626155A9D |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx |title=Century |publisher=MMG Limited |accessdate=21 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808173417/http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx |archivedate=8 August 2012 }} The last ore to be processed at Century was 450,000 tonnes that had been mined as part of the Dugald River mine's stoping trial, and then trucked to Century. The processing of this ore was completed in January 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx |title=Century |publisher=MMG Limited |accessdate=21 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808173417/http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx |archivedate=8 August 2012 }} The final shipment of zinc concentrate was exported from Karumba in late January 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-27/indigenous-legacy-question-century-mines-final-zinc-shipment/7102220 |title=Australia's largest open-cut zinc mine ships final load from Karumba amid questions on legacy of landmark native title agreement |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=21 December 2016 |archive-date=21 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221020109/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-27/indigenous-legacy-question-century-mines-final-zinc-shipment/7102220 |url-status=live }}
During its 16 years of operation, Century was one of the largest zinc mines in the world, producing and processing an average of 475,000 tpa of zinc concentrate and 50,000 tpa of lead concentrate. Mill tailings generated from 16 years of operations from the Century open pit forms a Proven Reserve of 77.3 million tonnes at 3.1% zinc-equivalent, for 2,287,000 tonnes of contained zinc.{{cite web |title=Geology & Resources |url=https://www.newcenturyresources.com/century-mine-project/geology-resources/ |website=New Century Resources |accessdate=21 August 2020 |location=Melbourne |archive-date=3 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803085645/https://www.newcenturyresources.com/century-mine-project/geology-resources/ |url-status=live }}
New Century Resources, an Australian base metals development company, restarted Century Mine operations from August 2018 extracting zinc from the tailings.
Operations
Zinc and lead concentrates are exported via the port at Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria. The zinc ore is especially prized because of its low iron content, producing a high quality clean zinc concentrate that is keenly sought by the world's zinc smelters.{{cite web|url=http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx|title=Century|publisher=Minmetals Resources|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808173417/http://www.mmg.com/en/Our-Operations/Mining-operations/Century.aspx|archivedate=8 August 2012|url-status=dead|accessdate=31 July 2012}} The concentrate is mixed with water and transported to the port by a {{convert|304|km|abbr=on}} pipeline.{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Century-mine-pipe-replacement-to-take-2-3-weeks-X73GU?OpenDocument|title=Century mine pipe replacement to take 2-3 weeks|date=26 October 2009|work=Business Spectator|accessdate=31 July 2012|archive-date=24 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824021111/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-spectator?OpenDocument&nk=67fb9082d48a79d24ff3213dfee2e4b8-1598235071|url-status=live}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/century/335378 Century Deposit Summary Report]
- [https://portergeo.com.au/database/mineinfo.asp?mineid=mn075 Century]
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Category:North West Queensland
Category:Surface mines in Australia
Category:Zinc mines in Queensland
Category:Lead mines in Queensland