Higginsville Gold Mine
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Higginsville Gold Mine Location in Australia | |
| Location | Higginsville |
| State | Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°44′S 121°43′E / 31.733°S 121.717°ECoordinates: 31°44′S 121°43′E / 31.733°S 121.717°E |
| Production | |
| Production | 131,227 |
| Financial year | 2008-09 |
| History | |
| Opened | 2008 (reopened) |
| Owner | |
| Company | Avoca Resources Limited |
| Website | Avoca website |
| Year of acquisition | 2004 |
The Higginsville Gold Mine is a gold mine located near Higginsville, 45 km north of Norseman, Western Australia.
It is currently owned by Avoca Resources Limited. Avoca has made headlines in 2009 when it became engaged in a bitter dispute with Ramelius Resources over conflicting takeover bids for Dioro Exploration NL.[1][2] Avoca eventually had to drop its bid for Dioro,[3] having reached a 44.85% interest in Dioro at the close of the offer on 20 August, short of the 50% needed.[4] Ramelius's offer for the company closes on 8 February 2010. Avoca made a renewed takeover offer for the company in late December 2009.[5] Avoca eventually succeeded in its bit for Dioro and, on 21 April 2010, Dioro was delisted from the ASX.[6]
History
The Higginsville mine was in operation in the 1990s, its mill ceasing work in October 1997. Mining continued until early 2000, with ore being milled at the Chalice Gold Mine.[7] The mine was then owned in parts by the St Ives Gold Mining Company, a subsidiary of Gold Fields, who had also purchased the nearby St Ives Gold Mine from WMC Resources in 2001.[8]
Avoca, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2002, paid A$6.25 million to Gold Fields for its Higginsville exploration project in June 2004. After discovering the Trident deposit in late 2004, Avoca raised $125 million in April 2007 to build a new mine at Higginsville.[9] Also in 2007, Avoca purchased the neighbouring Chalice deposit from Chalice Gold Mines Limited. Gold production at the mine begun in 2008 from underground operations,[10] with a first gold pour on 1 July 2008.[11]
Production
Production of the mine:
| Year | Production | Grade | Cost per ounce |
| 1997 [7] | 57,923 ounces | 2.94 g/t | A$ 504 |
| 1998 | |||
| 1999 [7] | 801 ounces | ||
| 2000–2008 | inactive | ||
| 2008-09 [12] | 131,227 ounces | 3.8 g/t | |
| 2009-10 | |||
Further reading
Sources
- Place Names Search Results - Higginsville Geoscience Australia website
- The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition, Louthean Media Pty Ltd, Editor: Ross Louthean
- Western Australian Mineral and Petroleum Statistics Digest 2008 p. 34: Principal Mineral and Petroleum Producers - Gold
References
- ↑ Response to Dioro’s 8th Supplementary Target’s Statement Avoca Resources announcement, published: 17 August 2009, accessed: 6 September 2009
- ↑ Ramelius shares rise on strong gold results news.com.au, published: 10 August 2009, accessed: 6 September 2009
- ↑ Avoca's bid for Dioro beaten by Ramelius offer business.watoday.com.au, published: 30 July 2009, accessed: 6 September 2009
- ↑ Avoca reaches 44.85% at close of Offer for Dioro Avoca Resources announcement, published: 17 August 2009, accessed: 6 September 2009
- ↑ NOTICE OF INTENTION TO MAKE A NEW TAKEOVER OFFER FROM AVOCA AND UPDATE ON RAMELIUS’S AMENDED OFFER Dioro ASX announcement, published: 4 January 2010, accessed: 6 January 2010
- ↑ Removal from Official List Dioro ASX announcement, published: 21 April 2010, accessed: 7 May 2010
- 1 2 3 The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition, pp. 92-93
- ↑ The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition, page 124
- ↑ Avoca seeks $125m for Higginsville mine The Sydney Morning Herald, published: 3 April 2007, accessed: 11 September 2009
- ↑ About Avoca Avoca website, accessed: 11 September 2009
- ↑ Higginsville Avoca website, accessed: 11 September 2009
- ↑ Avoca quarterly report June 2009