Softrock Solutions

Site	Leinster Nickel Operations
Location	Leinster WA Australia
System	5 instrument
Commissioned	2001

Nickel West is the world's third largest producer of nickel in concentrate. All the operations are in Western Australia and include:

Nickel West exports around 100,000 tonnes of nickel each year and provides significant benefits to the Western Australian economy and communities in which it operates.

Nickel West is a fully integrated nickel business comprising mines, concentrators, a smelter and a refinery. Nickel ore is mined at Leinster and Mt Keith and concentrated on-site . Additionally, nickel is concentrated by a separate concentrator for third party mine production. The combined concentrate product is transported by rail to Nickel West Kalgoorlie which produces nickel matte.

Nickel West exports approximately one third of its nickel matte production. The remaining matte is processed at Nickel West Kwinana to produce nickel metal in the form of briquettes and powder, as well as a number of intermediate products.

Nickel West Leinster is located 375 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Operations include two underground mines and a concentration plant. Concentrate produced at Nickel West Leinster is shipped by rail to Nickel West Kalgoorlie for further processing. Nickel West Leinster concentration plant has an operating capacity of three million tonnes of ore per year.

Leinster Nickel Mine is situated north of Kalgoorlie in WA. Operations include Perserverance underground and Rockys Reward Open Pits.

Website: http://www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/ourBusinesses/stainlessSteelMaterials/nickelWest.jsp