Coyote Gold Mine

The Coyote Gold Mine is a gold mine located in the remote Tanami Desert in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. The mine, processing plant and camp are 17 km west of the Northern Territory border. The mine was closed in 2013 and placed on care and maintenance.

Coyote
Location
Coyote Gold Mine
Location in Australia
LocationTanami Desert
StateWestern Australia
CountryAustralia
Coordinates19°53′48″S 128°49′50″E
Production
Production47,960
Financial year2009-10
History
Opened2006
Closed2013
Owner
CompanyTanami Gold NL
WebsiteTanami Gold website
Year of acquisition2003

Coyote is located on the land of the Tjurabalan people, the traditional owners of the area.[1] Tanami and the Tjurabalan people signed a native title agreement in 2005 in order to have a mining lease granted. This also included a commitment to employ a number of Tjurabalan people.[2]

History

Serious exploration for resources, especially gold, was carried out in the region from early 2000 by a number of companies, specifically AngloGold, Newmont, Tanami Gold and Otter Gold Mines Limited.[3] Some of the area of the Coyote mine was part of an exploration lease owned by AngloGold.[4]

Tanami Gold acquired the tenement in November 2003 from AngloGold for A$14 million in cash and shares.[5] AngloGold, in turn, had acquired it when it took over Acacia Resources in January 2000.[6]

The mine was opened on 24 May 2006 by the Governor-General of Australia, Michael Jeffery, after a 12-year planning phase.[7] It initially had a production target of 60,000 ounces per year.[8][9]

In October 2006, Tanami had to temporarily suspend mining to cut costs as its treatment facility experienced difficulties in the commissioning.[10] In late 2006, Tanami was in talks with Monarch Gold Mining in regards to a merger, but talks were later called off amid concerns that the treatment plant at Coyote would need further investment.[11]

In January 2007, the Coyote Pit 2 was flooded in a major rain event. Mining was resumed in Pit 1 in April 2007.

With the financial crisis in 2008, Tanami had to borrow $7.7 million to continue its mining operation at Coyote.[12]

In 2008-09, ore was mined in the Coyote Open Pit 1 and 2 as well as the Gonzales lode underground operation. Once the Coyote pit will be exhausted, which is scheduled for September 2009, two other open pits will be mined, the Kookaburra and Sandpiper pits.

On 23 April 2013, The West Australian reported the Coyote project was one of the State's highest-cost producers, pouring gold at basic costs of $1220/oz. The mine went into care and maintenance shortly after that retrenching 150 employees.[13]

Production

Production of the mine:

Quarter Production Grade Cost per ounce
March 2007 2,981 ounces
June 2007 1,718 ounces
Total 2006-07
September 2007 6,051 ounces 3.27 g/t
December 2007 11,779 ounces A$ 709
March 2008 6,122 ounces 3.38 g/t A$1,029
June 2008 5,799 ounces 3.37 g/t
Total 2007-08 29,751 ounces
September 2008 4,261 ounces 5.8 g/t
December 2008 3,952 ounces 2.9 g/t
March 2009 5,971 ounces 6.1 g/t
June 2009 9,136 ounces 6.0 g/t
Total 2008-09 23,320 ounces 5.1 g/t
September 2009[14] 12,821 ounces 5.5 g/t A$660
December 2009[15] 11,783 ounces 7.6 g/t
March 2010[15] 10,456 ounces 6.7 g/t A$672
June 2010[15] 12,900 7.5 g/t A$655
Total 2009-10[15] 47,960 ounces

Sources

References
  1. Gold mine brings new opportunities to the Tanami Desert ABC Rural, published 2006-06-05, retrieved 2009-08-15
  2. New gold mine set for official opening ABC News, published 2006-05-24, retrieved 2009-08-15
  3. The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition, page 152-153
  4. The Australian Mines Handbook: 2003-2004 Edition, page 79
  5. Coyote Acquisition Tanami ASX announcement, published: 24 November 2003, accessed: 26 January 2010
  6. MINEDEX website Archived 11 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine Tanami - Coyote search result, 26 January 2010
  7. Official Opening At Coyote Archived 2 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Minebox.com, published 2006-05-16, retrieved 2009-08-15
  8. New Coyote gold mine is howling along Archived 14 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine Ferret.com.au, published 2006-05-23, retrieved 2009-08-15
  9. Big opening for Tanami Gold’s Coyote Mining international, published 2006-05-23, retrieved 2009-08-15
  10. Tanami shares take a dive Archived 15 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine Mining Top News, published 2006, retrieved 2009-08-15
  11. Monarch, Tanami may revisit merger next year Archived 11 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine The Australian, published 2006-12-09, retrieved 2009-08-15
  12. Tanami Gold in $7.7m bailout Northern Territory News, published 2008-09-26, retrieved 2009-08-15
  13. 150 jobs to go as gold mine shuts Archived 17 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine Mining News, published 2013-04-24, retrieved 2014-10-14
  14. Tanami Gold quarterly report September 2009 ASX announcement, published: October 2009, accessed: 26 January 2010
  15. Quarterly Report for the period ending 30 June 2010 Tanami ASX announcement, published: 29 July 2010, accessed: 29 July 2010
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