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Sustainability Report 2015 35
CONSUMABLES
The main consumables at Long Operation in FY2015
were electricity, ground support steel, water, diesel and
explosives in order of dollar value.
The Long Operation sources electricity from BHPB, which
sources electricity from Trans Alta gas turbines located at
BHP Billiton Nickel West Pty Ltd’s (BHPB’s) concentrator
facility.
Although the mine extends under the western edge of Lake
Lefroy, the mine itself is relatively dry. Most of the water
captured underground is recycled in the mining activity.
Approximately 288.5 ML p.a is pumped to the surface.
Some is used in the backfill manufacturing process and
approximately 253.9 ML p.a is discharged onto the saltpan of
Lake Lefroy.
The project development has required the clearance of
76.5 ha of natural bush to date.
WASTE
The relatively small mass of extracted waste rock is placed
in a single waste rock dump. A proportion of this material
is classified as potentially acid forming (or PAF).
A small volume of both putrescible and hard waste is
disposed of in the onsite landfill.
NATIVE TITLE
The Long Operation is situated on tenure over which a
Native Title claim has been lodged under the
Australian
Native Title Act 1993
.
LIFE OF MINE
At present the expected life of mine based on reserves
is two and a half years. A mine closure plan has been
developed and is updated every three years.
5,000 mN
370,000 mE
6,560,000 mN
375,000 mE
380,000 mE
385,000 mE
6,555,000 m
6,560,000 mN
6,550,000 mN
6,55
BHBP Concentrator
Long Mine
6,550,000 mN
N
6
6,540,000 mN
6,545,000 mN
Kambalda
Nature Reserve
Kambalda
Ti mber Reserve
Operation(Mine)
6,540,000 mN
,545,000 mN
370,000 mE
00 mN
375,000 mE
380,000 mE
385,000 mE
FIGURE 9
LONG OPERATION
OPERATIONS