imported>BlueyTheDog: /* Union involvement */ Updating "will expire" to "expired" as it is now, at the time of edit, 2025

2025-10-26T16:23:13Z

Union involvement: Updating "will expire" to "expired" as it is now, at the time of edit, 2025

New page

{{Short description|Mines in New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2013}}
{{Infobox mine
|name = Cadia
|pushpin_map = Australia
|pushpin_label = Cadia mine
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Australia
|place = [[Cadia, New South Wales|Cadia]]
|subdivision_type = [[States and territories of Australia|State]]
|state/province = [[New South Wales]]
|country = [[Australia]]
|coordinates = {{coord|33.467|S|148.993|E|region:AU-NSW|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|products = [[Copper]]<br>[[Gold]]
|amount = Copper: 85,000 tonnes<br>Gold: 561,000 ounces
|financial year = 2021–22<ref name="Annual22" >{{cite web |title=Newcrest Mining Annual Report 2022 |url=https://www.newcrest.com/sites/default/files/2022-11/221004_Annual%20Report%202022_0.pdf |website=www.newcrest.com |publisher=Newcrest |accessdate=19 April 2022}}</ref>
|opening year = 1998
|closing year = 2030+ ''(forecast)''
|owner = [[Newcrest]]
|official website = [https://www.newcrest.com/our-assets/cadia www.newcrest.com]}}

'''Cadia Mine''' is a series of large [[Underground hard-rock mining|underground]] and [[Open-pit mining|open-cut]] [[Gold mine|gold]] and [[copper]] [[Mining|mines]] located in the Cadia Valley, about 20 kilometres south of the regional city of [[Orange, New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. The mine has been developed throughout the 1990s and is a major employer in the region with an expected lifespan of several decades. Cadia is the second largest open cut mine in Australia after the [[Super Pit gold mine|Super Pit]] at [[Kalgoorlie]]. Large [[mineral]] deposits are also being uncovered from the more recently developed [[Ridgeway, Australia|Ridgeway]] underground mine, and Cadia East underground mine, adjacent to the Cadia Open Cut Mine. The mine is operated by Newmont.
== Water and power supply ==
In May 2007, due to the prolonged drought which was likely to adversely affect production in the near future, the company approached [[City of Orange (New South Wales)|Orange City Council]] requesting to use some of the town water supply. Orange City Council subsequently agreed to allow a supply initially from [[Gosling Creek Reservoir]] and then if necessary from [[Lake Canobolas]]. The two main water supplies for Orange, [[Suma Park Dam]] and [[Spring Creek Reservoir (New South Wales)|Spring Creek Reservoir]] will not be used. [[Cabonne Shire Council]] later offered to supply water from a disused quarry on Icely Road to the east of Orange. There was also a dispute in July 2009 currently{{When|date=March 2018}} in the courts between Orange City Council and [[Newcrest]] to the current rights to the towns treated effluent water that the mine has received for free since beginning its operations in the late 1990s. Orange City Council believes the mine has broken the original agreement it had with the mine due to the mine's recent expansion and development of Cadia East and Ridgeway Deeps projects, and now would like the mine to purchase the treated effluent water.<ref>[http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/stink-over-effluent/1557992.aspx Stink over effluent] ''Central Western Daily'', published: 3 July 2009, accessed: 19 July 2010</ref>{{Update after|2018|3|15}}

In 2021, Newcrest contracted 55% (about 650 GWh/year) of the [[Rye Park, New South Wales|Rye Park]] 396 MW wind farm to supply some of its power needs for 15 years.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parkinson |first1=Giles |title=Biggest wind farm in NSW reaches financial close, to feature Australia's biggest turbines |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/biggest-wind-farm-in-nsw-reaches-financial-close-to-feature-australias-biggest-turbines/ |website=RenewEconomy |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210901093722/https://reneweconomy.com.au/biggest-wind-farm-in-nsw-reaches-financial-close-to-feature-australias-biggest-turbines/ |archive-date=1 September 2021 |language=en-AU |date=1 September 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> It started in 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Biggest wind farm in NSW officially opens as local network owner calls for more wind projects |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/biggest-wind-farm-in-nsw-officially-opens-as-local-network-owner-calls-for-more-wind-projects/ |website=RenewEconomy |language=en-AU |date=4 May 2025}}</ref>

== Automation ==
The Cadia operation is a pioneer within underground block cave mining. In collaboration with [[Epiroc]], the mine has developed an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEH-8SuD8fU autonomous production level] in Panel Cave 1 where Deep Automation is used to orchestrate multiple Scooptram ST18 underground [[Loader (equipment)|loaders]] as well as auxiliary equipment such as rock breakers and MacLean water cannons.

== Union involvement ==
The employees at the Cadia-Ridgeway Mine are represented by the [[Australian Workers Union]]. They are employed under an enterprise agreement known as the "Cadia Valley Operations Enterprise Agreement 2012". The agreement was approved by [[Fair Work Australia]] on 23 November 2012 and expired on 15 November 2016. The Australian Workers Union was nominated as a bargaining representative for this agreement. This was the first agreement that the union had involvement with Newcrest at the Cadia-Ridgeway Mine.

==Work stoppages==

=== Earthquake interruptions===
In March 2012, production was stopped at the mine following the partial collapse of a wall retaining one of the tailings dams. Tailings were retained in the adjacent dam, but production was halted pending a solution to disposal or storage of future tailings. It was reported that it could take one to six months to put in place an alternative. A magnitude 2.7 earthquake had been recorded in the area the day before cracks were noticed in the wall. The mine had also been closed for 3 months in 2017 due to earthquake damage.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/5287223/one-to-six-months-cadia-delay-may-be-extensive-says-newcrest-boss/?cs=103 |title='One to six months': Cadia delay may be extensive, says Newcrest boss |newspaper=[[Central Western Daily]] |date=16 March 2018 |first=Trevor |last=Chappell |accessdate=16 March 2018}}</ref> The company subsequently obtained a permit from the N.S.W. Government to use the old Cadia Hill open cut pit for tailings storage and commenced to do so during 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Probert|first=Author Oliver|date=2018-04-26|title=Newcrest to use Cadia open pit for tailings|url=https://www.bulkhandlingreview.com.au/newcrest-to-use-cadia-open-pit-for-tailings/|access-date=2022-01-06|website=Australian Bulk Handling Review|language=en-AU}}</ref>

===Ground water===

On 22 July 2022, water from an aquifer entering a [[ventilation shaft]] caused all underground production to cease while visual and other examinations were undertaken. Underground production was affected for several weeks. Processing of ore stored above ground was continued.<ref name=”2022-07-22_ABC”>[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-03/australia-gold-mine-orange-stops-extraction-underground-incident/101294644 Gold mine near Orange stops extraction, halts work following underground incident], Joanna Woodburn, [[ABC News Online]], 2022-08-03</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/cadia/334249 Cadia Deposit Summary Report ]

* [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/white-engine-cadia-old-cadia/334791 White Engine (Cadia, Old Cadia) Deposit Summary Report ]

* [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/big-cadia/335278 Big Cadia Deposit Summary Report ]

* [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/ridgeway/335424 Ridgeway Deposit Summary Report ]

* [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/cadia-quarry/335807 Cadia Quarry Deposit Summary Report ]

* [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/cadia-hill/335835 Cadia Hill Deposit Summary Report ]

* [https://portal.ga.gov.au/deposit-report/minerals/cadia-east/408607 Cadia East Deposit Summary Report ]

* [https://portergeo.com.au/database/mineinfo.asp?mineid=mn228 Cadia Valley Operations - Ridgeway, Cadia Quarry/Extended, Cadia Hill, Cadia East/Far East Big Cadia ]

* [https://www.newcrest.com/our-assets/cadia Cadia] [[Newcrest]]

[[Category:Copper mines in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Gold mines in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Open-pit mines]]
[[Category:Surface mines in Australia]]
[[Category:Underground mines in Australia]]

Cadia-Ridgeway mine - Revision history

imported>BlueyTheDog: /* Union involvement */ Updating "will expire" to "expired" as it is now, at the time of edit, 2025