The Cannington Silver and Lead Mine is an Australian underground mine located in north-west Queensland, in the Shire of McKinlay, about 200 kilometres (124 mi) southeast of Mount Isa. The deposit was discovered by BHP in 1990.[1] The mine was the supplier of silver for the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics and the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.[2] Cannington takes its name from the pastoral property near the deposit.
Cannington lies on a broad plain with a few low mesas. The plain is crossed by meandering rivers which are dry for a large part of the year, but which flood periodically. The area is semi-arid with 250 millimetres (9.84 in) of annual rainfall falling mostly between November and March. The mine itself lies near the confluence of the Hamilton River and Trepell Creek.[3]
Geologyedit
The deposit is in Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic (2500–1000 mya) metamorphosedsedimentary rocks, known as the "Soldier's Cap Group", and is overlain by approximately 60 metres (197 ft) of Cretaceous and more recent overburden. The deposit was discovered as result of an aeromagnetic survey of the Soldiers Cap Group in the eastern Mount Isa inlier. The area was selected for survey based upon extrapolations from known prospects and associated lithostratigraphy. In other words, the rocks were the same as other known prospects, only slightly more deeply buried. The aeromagnetic survey pinpointed Cannington as a potential site and subsequent drilling proved it out.
The major ore minerals are galena and sphalerite. The silver occurs mainly as freibergite but is also present in solid solution within the galena.
Miningedit
The deposit was discovered by BHP in 1990.[1] Although sitework and underground mining began in 1997, full production was not achieved until early 1999, with 1.5 million tons of ore processed in 1999.[3] Production since has reached 3 million tons of ore per year.[3] As of 2010[update] it was the largest and lowest cost silver and lead mine in the world.[5][6] The expected life of the Cannington mine is 25 years.[6]
Managementedit
On 19 August 2014, BHP announced it was splitting the company in two with Cannington Mine amongst the assets transferred to South32.[7]
Facilitiesedit
The mine site is serviced by road from McKinlay and the private Trepell Airport. A small housing settlement exists on site for mine workers, consisting of 270 short term accommodation rooms, 364 village rooms, and serving about 67 000 meals per month.[8] Employment is given as about 600 people and a further 300 to 400 contractors, of which 70% of the mine workers are estimated to be fly-in fly-out (FIFO) from Townsville.[9] The mine site has a 3 megawatt solar farm to reduce gas consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Electricity generated by the solar farm is used to supply the operation’s accommodation village and airport with surplus power used to support mining and processing operations. It is anticipated that the solar farm will prevent between 4,000 and 6,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.[10] Two deaths have occurred at the site, a 19-year-old trainee driller on 15 December 2006, and a fifty-one-year-old contractor on 17 January 2008.[11][12]
Notesedit
^ abWalters, Stephen; Skrzeczynski, Bob; Whiting, Tom; Bunting, Frank; Arnold, Gary (2002). "Discovery and Geology of the Cannington Ag-Pb-Zn Deposit, Mount Isa Eastern Succession, Australia: Development and Application of an Exploration Model for Broken Hill-Type Deposits". In Goldfar, Richard J.; Nielsen, Richard L. (eds.). Integrated methods for discovery: Global exploration in the 21st Century. Littleton, Colorado: Society of Economic Geologists. pp. 93–116. ISBN978-1-887483-91-9. Abstract 2011-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
^ abcStaff (2011). "Cannington Silver and Lead Mine, Queensland, Australia". Mining-technology.com of Net Resources International. from the original on 26 February 2013.
^Large, Ross R.; Bull, Stuart W.; McGoldrick, Peter J.; Walters, Stephen (2005). "Stratiform and strata-bound Zn-Pb-Ag deposits in Proterozoic sedimentary basins, northern Australia". In Hedenquist, Jeffrey W. (ed.). Economic Geology 100th Anniversary Volume: 1905-2005. Littleton, Colorado: Society of Economic Geologists. pp. 931–963. ISBN978-1-887483-01-8.
^Obel, Mike (15 December 2011). "10 Biggest Silver Mines in the World". International Business Times. from the original on 26 May 2013.
^ ab"Cannington". Mine Sites: Major Mining Operations Around the World. 2010. from the original on 24 September 2010.
^"Cannington Overview: Analyst and Investor Field Trip" (PDF). BHP Billiton. 3 June 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
^RAGGATT, Tony (10 April 2015). "BHP to shed up to 70 jobs at Cannington mine". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
^"NEW SOLAR FARM FOR CANNINGTON". South32. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
^"Two deaths in 13 months despite audit warnings". The Courier-Mail. 2 February 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
^"Findings - Coroners Court". Queensland Courts. State of Queensland (Queensland Courts). Retrieved 24 February 2020. Auld, Michael Earle. Mining inquest, service crew member crushed between working platform on loader and tray of Landcruiser, safe working procedures, safety awareness. File 2008/256 (26/08/2013)
cannington, mine, cannington, silver, lead, mine, australian, underground, mine, located, north, west, queensland, shire, mckinlay, about, kilometres, southeast, mount, deposit, discovered, 1990, mine, supplier, silver, sydney, 2000, summer, olympics, beijing,. The Cannington Silver and Lead Mine is an Australian underground mine located in north west Queensland in the Shire of McKinlay about 200 kilometres 124 mi southeast of Mount Isa The deposit was discovered by BHP in 1990 1 The mine was the supplier of silver for the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics and the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics 2 Cannington takes its name from the pastoral property near the deposit Cannington mineLocationStateQueenslandCountryAustraliaProductionProductsSilverLeadZincTypeUndergroundHistoryOpened1997 1997 OwnerCompanySouth32 Contents 1 Geography 2 Geology 3 Mining 4 Management 4 1 Facilities 5 Notes 6 External linksGeography editCannington lies on a broad plain with a few low mesas The plain is crossed by meandering rivers which are dry for a large part of the year but which flood periodically The area is semi arid with 250 millimetres 9 84 in of annual rainfall falling mostly between November and March The mine itself lies near the confluence of the Hamilton River and Trepell Creek 3 Geology editThe deposit is in Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic 2500 1000 mya metamorphosed sedimentary rocks known as the Soldier s Cap Group and is overlain by approximately 60 metres 197 ft of Cretaceous and more recent overburden The deposit was discovered as result of an aeromagnetic survey of the Soldiers Cap Group in the eastern Mount Isa inlier The area was selected for survey based upon extrapolations from known prospects and associated lithostratigraphy In other words the rocks were the same as other known prospects only slightly more deeply buried The aeromagnetic survey pinpointed Cannington as a potential site and subsequent drilling proved it out The theory of formation of the Cannington deposit and the related deposits at McArthur River Century Mount Isa Hilton and George Fisher is explored in a 2005 paper by Large et al 4 The major ore minerals are galena and sphalerite The silver occurs mainly as freibergite but is also present in solid solution within the galena Mining editThe deposit was discovered by BHP in 1990 1 Although sitework and underground mining began in 1997 full production was not achieved until early 1999 with 1 5 million tons of ore processed in 1999 3 Production since has reached 3 million tons of ore per year 3 As of 2010 update it was the largest and lowest cost silver and lead mine in the world 5 6 The expected life of the Cannington mine is 25 years 6 Management editOn 19 August 2014 BHP announced it was splitting the company in two with Cannington Mine amongst the assets transferred to South32 7 Facilities edit The mine site is serviced by road from McKinlay and the private Trepell Airport A small housing settlement exists on site for mine workers consisting of 270 short term accommodation rooms 364 village rooms and serving about 67 000 meals per month 8 Employment is given as about 600 people and a further 300 to 400 contractors of which 70 of the mine workers are estimated to be fly in fly out FIFO from Townsville 9 The mine site has a 3 megawatt solar farm to reduce gas consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions Electricity generated by the solar farm is used to supply the operation s accommodation village and airport with surplus power used to support mining and processing operations It is anticipated that the solar farm will prevent between 4 000 and 6 000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year 10 Two deaths have occurred at the site a 19 year old trainee driller on 15 December 2006 and a fifty one year old contractor on 17 January 2008 11 12 Notes edit a b Walters Stephen Skrzeczynski Bob Whiting Tom Bunting Frank Arnold Gary 2002 Discovery and Geology of the Cannington Ag Pb Zn Deposit Mount Isa Eastern Succession Australia Development and Application of an Exploration Model for Broken Hill Type Deposits In Goldfar Richard J Nielsen Richard L eds Integrated methods for discovery Global exploration in the 21st Century Littleton Colorado Society of Economic Geologists pp 93 116 ISBN 978 1 887483 91 9 Abstract Archived 2011 02 25 at the Wayback Machine McKinlay Tourism amp Events Queensland Retrieved 24 February 2020 a b c Staff 2011 Cannington Silver and Lead Mine Queensland Australia Mining technology com of Net Resources International Archived from the original on 26 February 2013 Large Ross R Bull Stuart W McGoldrick Peter J Walters Stephen 2005 Stratiform and strata bound Zn Pb Ag deposits in Proterozoic sedimentary basins northern Australia In Hedenquist Jeffrey W ed Economic Geology 100th Anniversary Volume 1905 2005 Littleton Colorado Society of Economic Geologists pp 931 963 ISBN 978 1 887483 01 8 Obel Mike 15 December 2011 10 Biggest Silver Mines in the World International Business Times Archived from the original on 26 May 2013 a b Cannington Mine Sites Major Mining Operations Around the World 2010 Archived from the original on 24 September 2010 http m asx com au m company info xhtml issuerCode S32 permanent dead link Cannington Overview Analyst and Investor Field Trip PDF BHP Billiton 3 June 2005 Retrieved 24 February 2020 RAGGATT Tony 10 April 2015 BHP to shed up to 70 jobs at Cannington mine Townsville Bulletin Retrieved 24 February 2020 NEW SOLAR FARM FOR CANNINGTON South32 Retrieved 26 November 2021 Two deaths in 13 months despite audit warnings The Courier Mail 2 February 2008 Retrieved 24 February 2020 Findings Coroners Court Queensland Courts State of Queensland Queensland Courts Retrieved 24 February 2020 Auld Michael Earle Mining inquest service crew member crushed between working platform on loader and tray of Landcruiser safe working procedures safety awareness File 2008 256 26 08 2013 External links editCannington Deposit Summary Report Cannington 21 51 23 S 140 54 25 E 21 8564 S 140 9070 E 21 8564 140 9070 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cannington Mine amp oldid 1183593425, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
