Newspaper circulating the Central West NSW districts of: Albert, Bogan Gate, Burcher, Cobar, Condobolin, Derriwong, Euabalong, Fifield, Forbes, Ivanhoe, Lake Cargelligo, Mt Hope, Nymagee, Ootha, Parkes, Tottenham, Trundle, Tullamore, Tullibigeal, Tilpa, Ungarie & West Wyalong.
3rd February 2010
Front Page Story
What a gem! Mine to re-open
• Executive Chairman Jim Wall and Executive Director Robert Besley of Kimberley Metals Ltd at Condobolin Motor Inn on Monday night. |
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By Sally Willoughby
Condobolin and surrounding areas are set to receive a major boost with Mineral Hill mine anticipated to re-open within twelve months bringing employment and increasing the local economy after board members of Kimberley Metals Limited visited Condobolin and the mine site on Monday and Tuesday for inspection.
Executive Director of Kimberley Metals Limited (KML) Robert Besley, whose company now hold seventeen mining leases and an exploration licence for the Mineral Hill mine, said the reopening of the mine would be a significant feature for Condobolin and surrounding districts.
“The most important aspect for the town will be employment and the expenditure that comes from that employment into the local economy,” Mr Besley said.
Visiting the site early this week with Executive Chairman Jim Wall and Geologist Adam McKinnon of KML the Directors said that an exciting discovery last year of shallow high grade gold mineralisation within a kilometre of the existing process plant had prompted further testing and drilling programs.
“We’re currently undertaking a four-week drilling program targeting some high grade gold and we hope to expand it into a follow up program,” Mr Besley said.
The Mineral Hill Mine, located 65 kilometres North-West of Condobolin, was operational between 1989 and 2005 when mining company Triako mined 200,000 tonnes per annum of gold in copper concentrate and gold bullion producing in excess of 360,000 ounces of gold (worth in excess of $450million according to today’s gold prices) from five different ore zones.
KML Executive Chairmen, Jim Wall said that when Triako went out of operation the price for copper was very low.
“There are existing base metal resources of copper, lead and zinc at the site in large quantities but the price they [Triako] were getting at the time was so low it wasn’t worth mining,” Mr Wall said.
“Our plans are to start with our new discovery of gold and go on with the copper, lead and zinc.
“On paper the mine will have at least a seven year mining life – that’s not including the possibility of making further discoveries,” Mr Wall said.
With an expected tonnage of 120,000 to 200,000 tonnes per annum of ore Mr Besley said there was very little infrastructure that needed to be implemented before Mineral Hill was again operational.
“There’s a water source on site and we just need to organise power and environmental approvals,” Mr Besley said.
The KML board are currently undertaking measures to put the shares on the stock exchange.
“We’ve raised $11 million during an Initial Public Offering and we anticipate floating on the stock exchange within a couple of weeks,” Mr Wall said.
Top Stories
A Koori Campout
• Kids enjoyed the activities at A Koori campout last weekend with volunteers, staff from Lake Cargelligo and Murrin Bridge Aboriginal Health Service and Condobolin Aboriginal Health Service including Katie, Otis, Jaleesa, Maree, Christie and Kathy.
Forty children from Condobolin and Murrin Bridge spent last weekend at Kiacatoo on A Koori Campout which is a social and educational initiative of Condobolin Aboriginal Health Service.
With each child given a health check and free sleeping bag to keep, the weekend coupled fun activities with educational talks ranging from drug and alcohol awareness to sexual health.
Tullibigeal policemen also spoke to the youth with a Boys to Men talk given by Centacare and a visiting social worker from Forbes.
New face in town
• Residential Sales and Office Manager Jen Hartin with new Condobolin recruit, Rural Sales Specialist Ian Simpson.
Offering quality features and unique services Kevin Miller, Whitty, Lennon & Co welcomed Rural Property Agent, Ian Simpson, to the Condobolin team last week.
With three years in the real estate industry and property listings ranging from Bathurst to Euabalong to West Wyalong and Trundle, Ian will be in Condobolin every Thursday and any other day on request.
“I’m currently based in Forbes with one day in Condobolin however I’m more than happy to travel and am available in Condobolin and surrounding areas any day of the week.
Ian also said that KMWL’s affiliation with Ray White Real Estate allows them to offer more features to their clients including putting properties on a nationally accessed website to broaden potential buyers.
Procedure in progress
• Set up for procedure: LSC General Manager George Cowan, Director of Environmental Services and Planning Adrian Butler and Mayor Des Manwaring at the Melrose Street practice.
By Sally Willoughby
With renovations to bring the establishment up to standard with accreditation criteria including improving Occupational Health and Safety guidelines and providing better emergency access for ambulances, Melrose Street Medical Practice is again operational after Lachlan Shire Council developments were completed last week.
Lachlan Shire Council General Manager, George Cowan said that the renovations were aimed at allowing the medical centre to gain accreditation once a Doctor is secured. The renovations include a revamped reception area, knocking down walls throughout the practice to create a more open plan and a refitted procedures room which now boasts ample surgical instrument storage, a sensor basin and has been opened up to allow more streamlined operation.
In their process to attract another doctor to the area, Mr Cowan said a number of health care providers, who currently run accredited practices, have been approached to run the Melrose Street Medical Practice.
These organisations operate and manage medical services, including providing doctors, in regional and remote towns.
“We are in contact with three groups, Ochre Health, the Division of General Practice and the Rural Doctors Network with a view to establishing a practice in Melrose Street,” Mr Cowan said.
Representative Hamish Meldrum from Ochre Health was in Condobolin on Tuesday meeting with Council and health care providers to inspect the Melrose Street Practice.
With the resignation of Dr Curnow early last month Council said it was disappointed he had decided to leave but would continue to work at attracting a health provider to establish a practice at the recently renovated Melrose Street Medical Centre.
“We are reasonably confident that we will be successful but that process may take a little while and in the meantime medical records of patients of former Doctor Curnow’s will be made available to their current doctor on request,” Mr Cowan said.