The Tritton underground ore deposit in Australia was found after the drilling of a geophysical anomaly. Mining of the orebody started in 2004 using excavators, loaders, and other mining equipment. Stope production began in March 2005.
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Development of the new declines to access the ore started late 2007 and are scheduled to commence production of copper ore in late 2008. A strategic evaluation of the copper mining operations at Tritton during the first part of 2008 resulted in switching to another contractor. This change as well as low grade slopes and congestion resulted in a reduction of underground production levels through late March and April of 2008.
Straits projected that the expansion and new contractor will effect mine production of around 27,000 tonnes of copper in 2009 towards an average annual production of 35,000 tonnes for 10 more years.
Comprising a folded sequence of lower green schist facies, pelitic schists, mafic schists, shales, greywackes and with quartzites dipping shallowly towards the east, the principal minerals throughout the Tritton orebody are pyrite, chalcopyrite and quartz. Bornite is also present in the upper level of the orebody where some accessory tetrahedrite, digenite and chalcocite have also been observed mineralogically.
As of 2008, combing the Tritton Underground, Murrawombie and Tritton North Mines, Straits Resources reported proven reserves of 1,900kt with 5,800 in probable reserves.
Owned 100% by Straits Resources, the Tritton copper mine is located west-north-west of the town Nyngan, in central New South Wales, Australia. Mining within the Tritton areas 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 using SX/EW processing. Open pit mining at Girilambone terminated in 1999, although copper production continued for two years. Australian miner Straits Resources in 2002 bought a huge stake in the mine, and eventually buying the minorities in Tritton Resources reaching full ownership in 2005.
