Copper Mining in Australia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Copper Mining in Australia - Case Study Example According to the discussion coming third after chile and USA, Australia has 6 per cent of total global resources. Given the impressive significance of this mineral, this paper is designed to give a deep analysis concerning it. The paper will cover in depth the significance of the mineral and give a deep understanding of the mineral by covering entirely all the necessary areas of the mineral with a particular focus on Olympic Dam which is its primary producer in South Australia. It will also cover copper’s mining, manufacturing and processing process and elaborate further on its market and distribution. This paper outlines that World Mining Corporation (WMC) is Australia’s leading copper producer, with Olympic Dam Mine dominating the production. As for the other copper producers in Australia, copper is produced as a co product of Gold mining operations. In the year 2003, Olympic Dam Mine alone produced 160,080 of the 869,000 tons of copper produced in Australia. It is ranked 8th largest ore reservoir in the world and its reserves approximated at 566Mt grading at 2 per cent copper, o.6 per cent Uranium, and o.7 per cent Gold. WMC Resources Ltd in May 2004 affirmed a 50 million pound likelihood study preference purposed to expand the mine and develop a preferred plan for its survival by the year 2006. Initial assessments have affirmed that Olympic Dam has the capacity to produce up to 350,000 tons of copper per year if its underground mining is expanded and effectively utilized. Nifty copper mine is primarily operated by Straits Resources Ltd, a company that purchased it from t he main operator (WMC) at 47 million dollars. New South Wales’s (NSW) Girilambone Copper mine is also operated by Straits. In this site, the company holds A60% interest and still it is the operator with Nord Pacific possessing the other 40% interest. More to the point, Osborn Copper-gold mine is operated by Placer Dome Ltd.