Thread: Ravensthorpe Nickel To Close?

We were originally set to go there but were transfered to Kal,lucky break. Pat

Originally Posted by cjc_td5

BHP Billiton cuts WA jobs | Ravensthorpe nickel mine closed | Mt Keith cut back; ASX: BHP

Will be a real blow to the whole region. The Esperence area is a beautiful place to live (and visit)...

Cheers

bugger......

just wondering withthese big company....they outlays thousands of $$$ relocating workers form all ovet the country are they required to relocate workers out of these remote areas

Well,
Looks like my job is ok for at least 6 months, more than likely until Dec and maybe longer depending on requirements. A bitof relief anyway. Feel really sorry for the people who have not long started and or bought houses down here. Will be a turbulent few months I think. Then transfer opportunities or redundancy is an option. Will be tightening the belt a bit and tryng to get debt free in the next few months.
Shame because we had hit 100% plus capacity in the last week.
Well I am goig to bolt out bush for the weekend and clear my head a bit tommorow arvo.
Cheers
CraigE

Originally Posted by weeds

bugger......

just wondering withthese big company....they outlays thousands of $$$ relocating workers form all ovet the country are they required to relocate workers out of these remote areas

I would think so. If they have brought people in they surely would have to relocate them back.
I will be getting some paperwork today or tommorow to show what options are available, but I will be staying put as long as possible. Mel is considering taking on a mature apprenticeship as a baker so we can stay here if things go pear.
Cheers
CraigE

The SMH article describes it as the "disastrous Ravensthorpe nickel laterite project"

What's the issue with it?

Well BHP Bilton did it decide to close 2 nickle mines and Iluka decided to close 2 of its mineral sand mines as well

Originally Posted by hoadie72

The SMH article describes it as the "disastrous Ravensthorpe nickel laterite project"

What's the issue with it?

Wouldn't place too much faith in what the papers and television say.

The only thing that could be considered "disastrous" is that the cost to build the place and get it up and running has blown out from the original budget. But then, what new project hasn't in the climate of the last few years with the price of steel and labour (just to name a couple) skyrocketing every time you look at them.

Information that I have is that, apart from the initial cost, this project has been very successful - in fact, the only lateritic nickel project built so far in the world to successfully commission and hit its production targets. As Craig has posted, the project has recently achieved 100% of nameplate or design capacity - no other plant of similar design has ever achieved this. Murrin Murrin (the first of this type of plant to be built), has yet to achieve even 75% of nameplate capacity with any consistency, and is probably unlikely to ever achieve this. Cawse had half the plant shut down permanently when new owners took over a few years ago, and is now completely shut down. Bulong never really even got off the ground. They built it, but it never worked. The owners went broke, and it has now been sold to another company who intends to use it for an entirely different process - though I'll believe that one when I see it.

Great to hear that you're OK at least for a few months yet Craig. The girl in the office outside mine received news from her husband last night that the contract of the company he works for down there (Herculese) is being terminated almost immediately. He, at least will be re-deployed to another of their jobs, but he's hoping that it's not Leonora.

Originally Posted by hoadie72

The SMH article describes it as the "disastrous Ravensthorpe nickel laterite project"

What's the issue with it?

The nickel price is the only issue. We were hitting all targets set.