IT IS unlikely MMG’s Century Mine workforce will transition to the company’s Dugald River project if it was to move beyond its trial phase.
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The majority of Dugald River’s workforce, numbered at 46 MMG employees and 90 contractors by the company, were Fly In, Fly Out workers.
Later this year it will close production at Century, which is in Lawn Hill and considered to be Australia’s largest zinc mine.
MMG’s Queensland Operations general manager Mark Adams said resources were shared between projects, but that there would be “very limited opportunities” for Century employees to move to Dugald River – which has high deposits of zinc, lead and silver.
“Century is an open cut mine, whilst Dugald River is underground, requiring different skills and experience,” Mr Adams said.
“Dugald River is also a smaller operation, therefore it requires a significantly smaller workforce.
“Importantly, the timeline for production for Dugald River does not align with the closure of the Century Pit.”
Mr Adams said the reason for a FIFO workforce was “due to the skills and qualifications needed in the development of the mine”.
But local workers, which could be from Cloncurry or Mount Isa, will remain at the mining camp during their rosters because of the risks involved for tired Drive in, Drive Out employees.
“One of the main local benefits of Dugald River is its support of local businesses through local purchasing and the support of community events and projects,” Mr Adams said.
The company is still to confirm whether operations would move beyond a trial phase at Dugald River despite investing an estimated $1.5 billion in site infrastructure and mine development.
MMG’s focus this year was to analyse results from 19 stopes and to “better understand the technical and commercial requirements of mining a complex ore body”.
The company believes Dugald River has 63 million tonnes with grades of
12 per cent zinc, 1.8 per cent lead and 31/g/t gold.
Cloncurry Shire Deputy Mayor Bob McDonald said MMG faced technicalities with the mining method in extracting the ore.
“Council hopes MMG can resolve the issues and proceed with full-scale production sooner [rather] than later,” Cr McDonald said.