Tag Archives: Gold Fields

Gold Fields, UFR collaborating on automated underground truck pilot at Granny Smith

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Gold Fields will soon begin an autonomous truck trial at its Granny Smith underground mine in Western Australia, leveraging the robotic smarts of Universal Field Robots (UFR) and an existing Epiroc Minetruck MT65 it has within its fleet.

In the company’s recently released annual results, Gold Fields stated it was developing its first underground automated truck, ready for trials at Granny Smith in the second half of this year.

Later, the company told IM that this project involved Brisbane-based UFR, with the machine in question having already received the custom paint job (see photo above).

The purpose of this trial is to validate autonomous truck haulage over shift change when the mine is evacuated for blasting, the company said in its annual results, with Rob Derries, Unit Manager: Innovation & Technology at Gold Fields Australia, confirming the truck will initially be tested and validated in a separate area underground at Granny Smith.

“Once validated, we will be operating the automated truck on the main decline over shift change when the mine is normally evacuated for blasting activities, enabling further material haulage in time where activities are normally halted,” he told IM.

The initial truck pilot is expected to continue for up to 12 months with plans to retrofit further trucks in the Granny Smith fleet to operate autonomously over shift change after validation of this initial pilot.

Gold Fields says it is investigating and partnering to develop a number of automation solutions to ensure the safety of its people while also enabling increased productivity.

Derries said: “This trial aligns with Gold Fields’ approach to adopting agnostic technology and automation solutions. In the future, this technology can be adopted on a number of different machine manufactures and types and will integrate with existing teleremote guidance LHDs and Mine Operating Systems.”

UFR, for its part, has been involved in the development of several automation projects within mining, including BLAST DOG™ blasthole sensing and physical measurement technology – in collaboration with IMDEX – and a robotic application for zero-entry work on underground production blastholes – a project it is working on with METS Ignited and several mining companies, including Gold Fields.

Granny Smith produced 288,000 oz of gold at an all-in cost of $1,171/oz in 2022. It is currently mining four lenses from the Wallaby orebody (Z70, Z80, Z90 and Z100), accessed from a single decline. Mining administration and maintenance is located at the Wallaby mine, while ore is processed at the Granny Smith carbon-in-pulp processing plant, 15 km east of the Wallaby underground mine, under campaign milling conditions.

Back in October 2022, Epiroc confirmed an order from Gold Fields for a fleet of 65-t payload Epiroc Minetruck MT65 underground haul trucks with automation features to be used at Granny Smith.

Antamina, Barrick, BHP, Freeport, Gold Fields, Newmont, Teck and Vale form GeoStable Tailings Consortium

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Gold Fields Limited has announced a new consortium of eight global mining companies has launched a multi-year initiative to develop and implement new technological applications for managing tailings.

The GeoStable Tailings Consortium (GSTC) comprises Antamina, Barrick, BHP, Freeport-McMoRan, Gold Fields, Newmont, Teck and Vale, with external expert support provided by Dr G Ward Wilson of the University of Alberta.

The GSTC will study options to combine various blends of tailings with waste rock to create ‘geo-stable’ landforms that are stronger and more stable than conventional tailings deposition methods and are likely to reduce process water consumption. It will undertake a range of research and development activities, including laboratory testing, field trials and data analysis, and will collaborate to promote best practices in tailings and waste management and foster a culture of continuous improvement across the mining industry.

Martin Preece, Interim CEO of Gold Fields, said: “The management of our TSFs has as its ultimate goal zero harm to people and the environment through their full life cycle. This is in line with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, the new tailings storage facility (TSF) benchmark to which all members of the ICMM are committed to conform to. Having stable TSFs is a critical element of this standard.

“There is significant mining industry interest in developing geo-stable TSFs, but there is still a lack of a sound research and development including testing protocols to assess, compare and validate the performance of different technical approaches across different mineralogical and operational situations. Gold Fields is therefore a willing participant in this consortium and playing our role in becoming part of the solution.”

The new GSTC initiative builds on the work of a group formed to advance geo-waste and eco-tailings research previously pursued by Goldcorp, which was acquired by Newmont in early 2019.

Gold Fields and AngloGold Ashanti agree on deal to create Africa’s largest gold mine

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Gold Fields and AngloGold Ashanti have agreed the key terms of a proposed joint venture in Ghana between Gold Fields’ Tarkwa (pictured above) and AngloGold Ashanti’s neighbouring Iduapriem mines to create what they say will be the largest gold mine in Africa and one of the largest in the world.

The Tarkwa mine is held by Gold Fields Ghana, in which Gold Fields currently owns a 90% share and the Government of Ghana (GoG) holds 10%. The Iduapriem mine is currently 100% owned by AngloGold Ashanti. Both mines are located near the town of Tarkwa in the country’s Western Region.

The parties have agreed in principle on the key terms of the proposed jv and have commenced with preliminary, high-level and constructive engagements with senior government officials in Ghana and will continue engaging with the GoG, relevant regulators and other key stakeholders, with a view to implementing the proposed jv as soon as practically possible. They have also agreed to mutual exclusivity during this engagement.

It is intended that the jv will be an incorporated joint venture, constituted within Gold Fields Ghana and operated by Gold Fields. AngloGold Ashanti will contribute its 100% interest in Iduapriem to Gold Fields Ghana in return for a shareholding in that company.

The companies do not anticipate that any material, additional capital injection will be required by either company to establish the proposed jv, and is expected to materially improve its capital intensity once operational.

Excluding the interest to be held by the GoG, Gold Fields will have an interest of 66.7%, or two-thirds, and AngloGold Ashanti will have an interest of 33.3%, or one-third, in the jv.

The Iduapriem mine is currently 100% owned by AngloGold Ashanti

The companies said: “The proposed jv would create the largest gold mine in Africa and one of the largest in the world. It will be a high-quality operation, supported by a substantial mineral endowment and an initial life spanning almost two decades.”

Operational synergies will be achieved by optimising mining of the combined orebodies and consolidating the infrastructure of the immediately adjacent mines for the long-term benefit of all shareholders and stakeholders, the companies said.

Martin Preece, Interim CEO of Gold Fields, said: “The proposed jv is an exciting opportunity to combine mining operations that are essentially part of the same mineral deposit and is something that Gold Fields and AngloGold Ashanti have discussed many times before over the years. The ability to optimise mining and the use of shared infrastructure across the combined operation will result in significant flexibility in mine planning, materially enhancing the economics of the mine and ensuring quality and scale of operation that will be world class. That unlocked value will underpin the proposed jv’s continued contribution to our host communities and Ghana for decades to come. For Gold Fields, it will also significantly enhance the overall quality of our portfolio.”

Alberto Calderon, CEO AngloGold Ashanti: “This combination puts together two parts of the same world-class orebody, allowing us to share skills and infrastructure to significantly enhance every aspect of this mining operation, from exploration and planning, to mining and processing. By creating one of the world’s largest open-pit gold operations, in a pre-eminent mining jurisdiction, we will create longer-term value not only for AngloGold Ashanti and Gold Fields, but for the combined stakeholders in our local host communities and for all of Ghana.”

The combined operation comes with an estimated life of at least 18 years, which could increase through an extension and optimisation plan to be considered under the proposed jv over the next three years, and which could also enhance envisaged production and cost parameters.

It would come with estimated average annual production (100% basis) of almost 900,000 oz over the first five years and average annual production in excess of 600,000 oz over the estimated life of operation. All-in sustaining costs (in 2023 terms) were expected to be less than $1,000/oz over the first five years and less than $1,200/oz over the estimated life of operation.

RCT’s Remote Operations Centre advances Gold Fields’ Granny Smith mining ops

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Gold Fields’ Granny Smith operators are now benefitting from the availability of RCT’s Remote Operations Centre (ROC) to manage some of its mobile equipment fleet from its Perth head office, some 740 km away from site.

This major advancement will revolutionise the way they do mining by allowing operators to control or supervise semi-autonomous fleet activities in real time from the comfort and convenience of a central office location, according to RCT.

The digital ROC’s deployment represents the next major development in Gold Field’s autonomous mining operations and enables personnel to work effectively from a major city, which makes the job more accessible to a wide range of workers and reduces the company’s carbon footprint.

The project is made possible by RCT’s ControlMaster® digital automation solution, which is already used by Gold Fields to manage its underground loader fleet from the mine’s surface.

However, the digital ROC technology means Gold Fields can offer significantly more flexible working arrangements and accommodate work/life balance requirements among their workforce.

Initial testing proved the ROC can instantaneously manage multiple underground loaders at one time operating in different locations within the underground mining complex, according to RCT.

The digital ROC technology means Gold Fields’ operators will be able to access ControlMaster’s latest features as they are released, helping enhance semi-autonomous fleet operations on-site.

RCT and Gold Fields’ engineers worked together to implement the ROC and link it with the mine site through Gold Fields’ secure, dedicated network.

Granny Smith’s Mine Manager, Michael Place, said: “The Perth ROC started as a proof-of-concept trial following the digital upgrades project in December 2021. The ROC was aimed at showcasing Gold Fields Australia’s network capability and RCT’s digital operating technology but has now opened the doors to exploring future avenues in how we work at our underground operations.”

RCT Account Manager, Scott Phillips, said the ControlMaster ROC incorporates RCT’s latest digital technology which will fully empower Gold Fields to fulfil its mining fleet needs going forward.

“We are pleased to help Gold Fields take this next major step in their autonomous mining journey and implement technology that brings about major operational efficiencies,” he said.

“This project is only the beginning, and we look forward to working closely with Gold Fields to advance their mining operations in the future.”

Howden to deploy Ventsim CONTROL solution at Gold Field’s South Deep

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Howden says it has secured a contract for its Ventsim™ CONTROL system at Gold Fields’ South Deep gold mine in South Africa.

The mine is a world-class bulk mechanised mining operation reaching depths between 2,800-3,300 m below surface and is located in the Witwatersrand Basin.

South Deep has invested in key infrastructure to ensure that it operates as a safe, low-cost, bulk and mechanised gold mine and is collaborating with Howden to implement a state-of-the-art ventilation optimisation system, Howden said. The solution will support a safe working environment as well as reducing the mine’s energy consumption, which will contribute towards South Deep’s environmental and operational goals.

Ventsim CONTROL combines ventilation modelling of the mine with a flexible control system and advanced control strategies for monitoring, control and optimisation of underground mine ventilation. The remote and autonomous control of ventilation devices allows operators to view underground mine conditions in real time as well as the ability to act quickly to suit their conditions.

Howden’s ventilation optimisation solution offers varying levels of control to suit the needs of the mine. Level 1 and 2 allows for manual remote control and scheduling of ventilation devices, while the level 4, Ventilation on Demand solution employed by South Deep will allow ventilation devices to react based on feedback from environmental sensors underground, according to Howden. It will furthermore adjust mine airflow in real time based on vehicle and personnel position. The Ventsim CONTROL solution also offers a 3D modelling capability within the software, which helps users to better predict and control air flows based on what is evidenced in the simulation.

Eric Vemer, President of Africa region at Howden, said: “The installation of Ventsim CONTROL will improve the operability and flexibility of the mine’s ventilation system to ensure a safe, healthy and efficient ventilation solution. Ventsim CONTROL will further reduce energy consumption and associated tonnes of carbon emissions. As the system allows the mine to optimise its ventilation based on fully remote vehicle and personnel monitoring, it directly contributes to achieving emissions reduction targets – something of which the Howden team is very proud.”

RCT turns Gold Fields’ Granny Smith mine into ‘digitally connected powerhouse’

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RCT’s latest partnership with Gold Fields in Australia has seen, it says, the transformation of the Granny Smith mine and machine fleet into a state-of-the-art, digitally connected powerhouse.

The project, which RCT says embodies the mining company’s key value of innovation, is designed to increase productivity.

Gold Fields’ Granny Smith mine is no stranger to RCT, having been one of its technology partners for more than 20 years.

This latest project has seen the Eastern Goldfields underground gold operation become one of the most innovative, digitally-connected mines in the world, according to RCT. The project saw its Kalgoorlie-based team of innovative technicians upgrade the site’s six existing Caterpillar loaders from analogue to digital.

This required the Kalgoorlie branch team to design and build specialised mounts and overhaul the site’s existing cabins. In addition, a total of 11 Area Access Controls (AAC) were also converted from analogue to digital to facilitate the upgrade.

“We recognise that they made a significant investment into the original technology, and we wanted to find the most cost-effective and sustainable solution available,” RCT’s Kalgoorlie Branch Manager, Rick Radcliffe, said.

The team converted three of the site’s existing analogue TeleCabins and transformed them into digital ControlMaster® Automation Centres for underground use and two surface Automation Centres to digital, bringing them into the future.

The site chose to use RCT’s own full-scale digital communications solution – RCT Connect – to meet the demands of autonomous machines across the mine site. The technology will cater to Granny Smith’s current and future machines, according to RCT.

The Kalgoorlie branch finished the upgrades in December last year, and although the technology has only been in place for a few months, the site has experienced amazing results from day one, according to the company.

Granny Smith Mine Manager, Michael Place, said: “The ability for the operators to mine from the surface with a pristine picture/video thanks to the digital network has meant they have been able to increase the number of buckets per shift, while adding to the comfort of the operators.

“Implementing the new digital infrastructure RCT Connect has significantly improved both the availability and reliability of Granny Smith’s semi-autonomous remote production loaders and stoping fronts to date.”

The upgrade saw the popular analogue technology that uses the Yagi antenna replaced with RCT Connect.

Radcliffe added: “While the Yagi’s have been a tried and tested technology for many years, our digital RCT Connect Access Points has taken the Control Master underground communications system to another level. The system is now more reliable and provides a clearer picture and improved operator visibility.

“The feedback we have received from site is that the operators love the new technology and they wished they implemented it ages ago.”

As well as experiencing the significant benefits of digital technology today, Granny Smith is futureproofing its operations, allowing it to make small, incremental changes as and when they are ready, RCT said.

RCT Connect, RCT says, is a plug-and-play system, making it easy to install and maintain. The technology has produced a clearer picture, which has greatly assisted Granny Smith personnel to continue operating their machines safely in high-risk locations.

Radcliffe concluded: “Another added benefit to moving to digital is that RCT can now remotely support our clients to a higher level and are able to monitor and complete repairs in a short timeframe, as it eliminates the need for a technician to travel to site to troubleshoot in many cases.”

MLG Oz work rewarded with bigger remit at Gold Fields’ Agnew, St Ives operations

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MLG Oz says it has been awarded the Barren Lands open-pit mining project assisting the Gold Fields Limited group of companies in the establishment of a new mine at its Agnew operations in Western Australia.

Along with this new scope of works, MLG says it has successfully extended its contractual arrangements to continue to supply integrated site service and haulage support to both the St Ives gold mine and at the Agnew gold mine for a further three years.

At Barren Lands, the open-pit mining contract award with Gold Fields will see MLG Oz develop a new pit through the provision of heavy earthworks. Included within this is a Liebherr 9150 excavator (pictured). The contract is expected to contribute approximately A$15 million in revenue in the 2023 financial year with contractual terms in line with contracts of this nature.

Gold Fields has previously stated that the development of the Barren Lands open pit provides access to potential Barren Lands underground & decline access to Zone 2 and exploration access at the Agnew gold mine.

The renewal and extension of contracts with Gold Fields, meanwhile, will see MLG’s current Agnew operations continue, with the term extended for a minimum three-year period with an additional optional extension period of two years at Gold Fields’ discretion. This award extends MLG’s delivery of integrated site services and haulage activities to Gold Fields’ Agnew operation out to 16 years.

At St Ives, the contract term has been extended for a minimum three-year period with an additional optional extension period of two years at Gold Fields’ discretion. This will extends MLG’s delivery of integrated site services and haulage activities to Gold Fields’ St Ives operation out to nine years.

MLG Founder, Managing Director and majority shareholder, Murray Leahy, said: “The award of the Barren Lands open-pit mining project demonstrates confidence in MLG’s ability to leverage our integrated service offering to drive value for our client base. The addition of open-pit mining, in conjunction with our current integrated service platform, allows MLG’s customer base the opportunity to single source the complete supply chain in an efficient and optimised way. We look forward to integrating the Barren Lands mining project into our wider Agnew operations delivering value for our key client whilst also building growth for our shareholders in one of MLG’s well established long term operations.”

Alliance extends air charter service contract with Gold Fields’ Agnew mine

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Alliance says it has executed a contract for air charter services with Agnew Gold Mining Company Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Gold Fields, for an additional three-year term.

Alliance has provided services to the Agnew gold mine in Western Australia since 2019 and, since that time, has increased its service from eight flights per week to 12 flights per week between Perth and Leinster.

The company also provides services to the Granny Smith mine, owned by Gold Fields, near Laverton in Western Australia.

Alliance’s Managing Director, Scott McMillan, said: “Alliance is pleased to be able to support Gold Fields’ operations across the two sites and the extension of the Agnew contract is further proof of Alliance’s ability to retain clients as a result of safe, reliable and on-time air charter services.”

In May, Qantas said it had reached an agreement to fully acquire Alliance Aviation Services Ltd, enabling the national carrier to better serve the growing resources sector with fly-in fly-out options.

Gold Fields Agnew to decarbonise crushing operations with new Sandvik solution

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Gold Fields’ Agnew mine in Western Australia is continuing to innovate, with its latest technology development involving the installation of a new modular Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions crushing system that can align with its day-time solar generation capabilities on site.

The operation has recently completed one of the biggest hybrid renewable projects in the mining sector – one that includes solar, wind, battery storage and a backup gas turbine (the Agnew Hybrid Renewable Power Station). This project has put the mine on track to source some 60% of its overall energy needs from renewables.

At the same time as this, Agnew is also testing out battery-electric equipment to further decarbonise its operations, which consist of two underground mines (Waroonga and New Holland) amalgamated into the Agnew One Mine Complex.

The innovative integrated thinking has gone further than this, with a planned plant throughput increase looking to leverage as much renewable energy as possible.

In this latest project, the mine has invested A$35 million ($25 million) in the construction of a new modular crusher. The latest milestone has seen all the concrete in the construction of the project poured, with the southern run-of-mine (ROM) access ramp completed and the final stage of backfilling of the ROM wall having commenced.

The construction team are 60% of the way through erecting the crusher structure and all key crusher components – crushers, screens, feeders, magnets and metal detectors – are on site.

IM put some questions to the Agnew Technical Team to find out more about this project.

IM: Are you able to share what type of crusher the new installation is? Could you also mention what crusher model it is replacing?

ATT: We opted for a Sandvik solution (modular plant solution and automation-ready). There were several reasons for going with Sandvik and deciding on a modular-style plant. This choice has now proven beneficial two years down the track with the challenges we have seen obtaining steel and fabrication services around the globe during COVID. We began early design work with Sandvik back in June 2020, however, we also worked through various other design and equipment options with other key crushing and screening suppliers on the market.

Gold Fields were involved in the design of the circuit as the configuration needed to accommodate for potential production increases in the future, whilst also efficiently crushing the current throughput rates.

The Gold Fields project team managed the electrical design through a third-party electrical engineering company. The automation and control philosophy has been undertaken in-house by the Gold Fields Process Control team. This has been a good opportunity to demonstrate the skills and knowledge we are now building in that space. The project has been executed by the Agnew project team with an external engineering firm.

We are installing a CJ412 primary jaw crusher, two 840i cone crushers (secondary and tertiary), a double-deck product screen and several bits of auxiliary equipment such as magnets, weightometers and a rock breaker above the jaw crusher. The process design criteria was 1.7 Mt per annum with a P80 of 6 mm. The circuit replaces a JW42 jaw crusher, three 1350Z cone crushers (one secondary and two tertiaries) and two product screens.

IM: On top of the reduction in conveyor belts (the old crusher comprised of 16 conveyor belts; the new crusher circuit has six), what other benefits is the team expecting to receive with installation of the new crusher?

ATT: The new circuit will be simpler and more efficient to operate with less equipment, as well as being more modern. There are less transfer points and wear areas, which will reduce the maintenance costs associated with running the current crushing circuit.

In addition, the design and automation of the new circuit will mean the crusher is operated remotely from the main control room, removing the need for a second process operator to be situated in a standalone control room. The three Sandvik crushers have a larger capacity and slightly higher power draw, but they will produce a finer product size more efficiently based on being the latest technology on the market. This will have a positive impact upstream in the processing plant once the ore reaches the grinding circuit.

The design has included the ability to monitor the power draw of each section of the circuit, which will be fed from the Agnew Hybrid Renewable Power Station. Having the ability to crush at a higher throughput rate will also mean being able to operate the crusher more during daylight hours by taking advantage of the solar-generated power. Last year, 56% of the power Agnew draw came from renewables.

IM: When does the team plan to have the new crusher in place and commissioned?

ATT: Commissioning is scheduled for mid-August.

Gold Fields looks to take over Yamana Gold in major M&A deal

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Gold Fields and Yamana Gold have entered into a definitive agreement, under which Gold Fields will acquire all the outstanding common shares of Yamana pursuant to a plan of arrangement in a deal that could create a top three gold producer (by production).

Under the terms of the transaction, all outstanding Yamana shares will be exchanged at a ratio of 0.6 of an ordinary share in Gold Fields or 0.6 of a Gold Fields American depositary share for each Yamana share. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of both Gold Fields and Yamana, implies a valuation for Yamana of $6.7 billion and represents a premium of 33.8% to the 10-day Volume-Weighted Average Price of Yamana’s shares on May 27.

Upon closing of the transaction, it is anticipated Gold Fields shareholders and Yamana shareholders will own approximately 61% and 39% of the combined group, respectively.

Based on 2021 production, the combined group would have a 3.4 Moz profile along with a 25-year reserve life. It would also benefit from the near-term growth of Gold Fields’ Salares Norte (Chile) and South Deep (South Africa) mines, and longer-term growth from Yamana’s Wasamac (Canada), Malartic Odyssey (Canada) and MARA (Argentina) projects as well as additional opportunities in Yamana’s high-quality exploration pipeline, the companies said.

Gold Fields and Yamana currently have 14 mines providing regional relevance across premier, rules-based mining jurisdictions including North America, South America, Africa and Australia, they said.

The deal would create the third largest gold company by gold production in 2024, and fourth largest by market capitalisation, according to the companies, but there is also a clear near-term path towards some 4 Moz of gold-equivalent steady-state annual production, Gold Fields said.

Wasamac, in feasibility study stage, is included within this, but beyond that, the company also outlined growth potential from Jacobina, El Peñón, Minera Florida and Lavra Velha, plus longer-term upside that included the development of MARA.

MARA, owned 56.25% by Yamana, is a joint venture with Newmont and Glencore. It is a brownfield operation leveraging existing Minera Alumbrera infrastructure that has 38.9 Moz of reserves.

A feasibility study on the project is expected to be completed by year end, with the report published in the March quarter of 2023.

Chris Griffith, Chief Executive Officer of Gold Fields, said about the combination: “Today we are announcing the acquisition by Gold Fields of Yamana, two companies with complementary portfolios, cultures and strategic priorities.

“The result is a combination with much greater capacity and potential value than the sum of its parts. Each company brings with it a unique set of skills and geological knowledge, enabling the combined group to enhance its assets more efficiently over the long-term than they could as separate companies.

“Like Gold Fields, Yamana is focused on operational delivery, disciplined capital allocation, portfolio management, maximising shareholder returns, and upholding leading sustainability, safety and ESG performance. These shared priorities are foundational to this transaction.”

Peter Marrone, Executive Chairman of Yamana Gold, added: “This is an outstanding opportunity for our shareholders, employees and the local communities in which we operate throughout the Americas. The transaction delivers an immediate and compelling premium for Yamana Shareholders, reflecting the inherent fair value of our assets, while also offering an opportunity to benefit from the creation of a new global gold producer with an attractive value proposition.

“The combination of Yamana and Gold Fields creates a world-class, globally diversified company with regional relevance across premier, rules-based mining jurisdictions that is underpinned by low cost, long life mines.”

The initial target for pre-tax synergies is approximately $40 million/y, anchored in operational integration, as well as potential financing synergies and a streamlining of overhead cost structures, they said.

The deal, which is subject to several approvals, is expected to close in the December quarter.