The Tritton copper mine, located near Nyngan in NSW is 100% owned and operated by Straits. Mining within the Tritton lease areas first commenced in 1992 at the Murrawombie open pit as part of the Girilambone copper mine and involved the mining of several copper oxide ore deposits by open pit mining methods and SX/EW processing. Open pit mining at Girilambone terminated in 1999, although copper production continued for two more years.

The Tritton underground ore deposit is blind at surface and was first discovered by drilling a geophysical anomaly. Mining of the Tritton orebody commenced in 2004 with the development of an access decline and stope production commenced in March 2005. In its first year of production, Tritton produced 23 088t of copper in concentrate.

Tritton operates a conventional crushing and flotation plant. The concentrate produced is relatively clean and acceptable to virtually all smelters in the Asia Pacific region.

During the production life of the Girilambone mine, exploration work mainly targeted oxide ores for the SX/EW plant. As a result, minimal drilling was undertaken to target the sulphide resources known to exist, especially those resources below the oxide pits of the Murrawombie, Larsens, Hartmans and North East mines.

As the Tritton Mine has developed, studies and observations have indicated the similarities between Tritton and the satellite orebodies previously mined. Resource extension drilling commenced in 2006, targeting the sulphide ore bodies below the oxide pits. This drilling was successful and sufficient resources were confirmed to support the development of new underground declines at Larsens/North East and Murrawombie together with a plant upgrade. Development of the new declines started in late 2007. As part of the expansion project processing plant capacity was being increased from 1Mt to 1.4 Mtpa.

As the financial crisis took hold in late 2008 however, the underground mine expansion through the development of the declines was suspended.

2010 was a period of significant consolidation and preparation for the future of Tritton Mines. The primary objective was to prepare the operation to be processing at least 1.4Mtpa and produce a minimum 25,000tonnes of copper metal annually. This strategy included:

• preparing the North East Mine to recommence production in July 2010 at a sustainable 300,000tpa.
• changing to a transverse stoping mining method at Tritton Mine to more efficiently produce from an ore body that is flattening in depth.
• introducing pastefill to increase the overall recovery of ore from approximately 55% to 94%.  The pastefill plant was commissioned and operational in early 2011.

 During the year to June 2011 Tritton largely completed and delivered on the capital reinvestment programme.  These improvements have led to a total production of 23,936 tonnes of copper in concentrate and cement over the 12 month period to June 2011, with the last two quarters producing at above a 25,000 tonnes per annum rate.

Production for the 2011 reporting period was:

Straits considers the Tritton region as having significant geological potential, and continues to be positive concerning the long term growth potential of Tritton.  There has been a strong focus on near-mine and regional exploration to prove up additional copper resources.  A number of geophysical techniques have been employed to evaluate near to current mines and within the prospective regional stratigraphic units, a number of significant new targets have been identified. An intensive drilling programme has been initiated to evaluate those targets. This exploration programme is on-going.

In addition to the near-mine exploration programme:

• at Tritton in-mine deep diamond drilling has confirmed the down dip extensions of the main Tritton ore body, clearly demonstrating potential to further increase the mine life.
• at Murrawombie mine a re-evaluation of the ore body has indicated increased tonnages and grades over what was previously known, and evaluation work is continuing.
• the North East ore body remains open at depth.

Tritton has delivered on the investment to produce in excess of 25,000 tonnes per annum rate.  Tritton expects to increase production above 27,000 tonnes per annum from existing reserves, with long term potential for further exploration to achieve an annual production rate above that level.

Contact details for Tritton Copper Mines NSW

Yarrandale Road
HERMIDALE NSW 2831
Phone: +61 2 6838 1100
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