Overview
Overview
Newmont's Boddington mine is located within the Saddleback greenstone belt in Western Australia. A large gold and copper mine, Boddington is located 16 km from the rural farming town of Boddington and 120 km from Western Australia’s capital city, Perth.
Boddington was a three-way joint venture between Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti and Newcrest. In 2009, Newmont purchased AngloGold Ashanti’s shares to become the sole owner of Boddington. Commercial production began in 2009, and in March 2011 the operation produced its first one million ounces of gold.
Key Facts
Boddington is one of Australia’s largest producing gold mines. Boddington produces gold and copper concentrate. Commercial production began in 2009 and the mine reached two million ounces of gold production in August 2012.
Operation Facts
Location:
Location: 16 kilometers from Boddington, Western Australia
Mine Type: Surface
Metals Mined: Gold, copper
Annual Gold Production*: 703 attributable Koz
Date of First Production: 2009
*December 2019. See cautionary statement.
†Consolidated $/oz
Health and Safety
We measure our success as a company by our contribution to the lives of our workers, their families and the communities living near our mines. Our ultimate goal is to achieve a culture of safety where all our people go home safe and healthy at the end of each work day.
For several years our people have been on a personal “Safety Journey” as part of an ongoing program to take responsibility for safety beyond awareness, understanding and knowledge to a level where it is intrinsic to how we think and behave.
Environment
Our environmental stewardship programs strive to minimize our environmental footprint throughout the mine life from exploration, through construction, mining and closure and reclamation.
We track our environmental performance through monitoring programs, and the results are independently verified and reported to the government. In particular, we have programs in place that monitor carbon emissions and energy efficiency.
Boddington Environmental Permit
In August, 2012, approval was granted by the Australian Government for Newmont to increase our Boddington operational area by 29 hectares for new water collection facilities that including storage dams to ensure the mine can secure its own water sources, as well as allow for additional waste rock areas. The permit is an interim step in a longer-term proposal to extend Boddington’s mine life to 2040 and the water storage capacity provides for the decreasing rainfall trends the locality has been experiencing over time.
Energy Efficiency
Our Australian sites continually explore opportunities to reduce the consumption of electricity, diesel and other fuels in order to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and operating costs. Our primary energy source is diesel, followed by grid electricity. These energy sources power the majority of our vehicles, facilities and infrastructure.
Carbon Offsets
In 2009, Newmont began a forestry carbon offset project, planting a total of 800,000 mallee tree seedlings in New South Wales and Western Australia. The trees are expected to capture about 300,000 tonnes of carbon over a 30-50 year period and thereby support the Clean Energy Act. The trees also improve the salinity of the soils and increase biodiversity in the area. The trees are a part of the Carbon Farming Initiative, launched by the Australian government in 2011.
Reports
Energy Efficiency Opportunities Report
Newmont participates in the Australian Government’s Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program. As a component of our participation, we conduct detailed assessments of our energy use and identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency. As a part of our transparency efforts, the 2012 and 2013 reports for our Australia operations are available online. These reports cover EEO assessments made from July 2006 to June 2012.
Black Cockatoo Management Plan
Newmont Boddington Gold has committed to avoid, minimize and offset potential impacts on three species of black cockatoos found around the mine. Read more about our Black Cockatoo Management Plan.
Terrestrial Fauna Management Plan
Newmont Boddington Gold has committed to avoid, minimize and offset potential impacts on terrestrial fauna found around the mine with a particular focus on threatened species including Woylie and Chuditch.
Read more about our Boddington Terrestrial Fauna Management Plan.
Australia Beyond the Mine Report
As a signatory to Enduring Value: the Australian Minerals Industry Framework for Sustainable Development, our Australia and New Zealand operations prepare an annual sustainability report. The Beyond the Mine report outlines our programs and performance in the region.
Printed copies of the report are available by contacting:
Newmont Australia
Environment and Social Responsibility
Level 2 388 Hay Street
The Colonnade
Subiaco, Western Australia, 6008
T: +61 8 9423 6100
Documents
Boddington Annual Compliance Report
In 2014 Newmont Boddington obtained approval under the environmental legislation of the Western Australian and Australian Governments for additional native vegetation clearing to allow for expansion of the open pits, waste rock dumps, a second tailings dam and associated infrastructure. Newmont Boddington is required to report annually regarding compliance against the conditions outlined in these approvals. The latest compliance reports can be found here:
An earlier approval for minor clearing was obtained in 2012 from the Australian Government. The latest compliance report against the conditions outlined in this approval can be found here: