This morning we did a mine tour which goes down into the top of the super pit. The commentary explains the process of blasting the rock, crushing into ever smaller pieces until at the end there is a slurry containing the gold, which is then chemically removed. A huge amount of rock has to be processed to find a very small amount of gold but despite this 22 tonnes a year are being produced. The mine provides employment for some 3,800 people.
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| Looking into the big pit with rock loaded haul trucks |
The current lease expires in 2021 and if it is not profitable to continue at that time it will be closed but not filled in. There is more gold locked in the rocks which current technology is unable to release so the open pit will remain for future possibilities. Although the mine is run by an Australian company, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, the leaseholders who are 50% Canadian and 50% American own the operation.
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| Huge haul truck dwarfs regular vehicle |
I wonder what will happen to the town when the mine closes as not only is it a direct employer but many ancillary services rely on the mine and it's workers for their business.
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