| Northparkes | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Territory | New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Owner | |
| Company | Rio Tinto Group (80%) Sumitomo Group (20%) |
| Production | |
| Products | Copper (60,000 tonnes) Gold (50,000 ounces) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1994 |
Northparkes is a copper and gold mine located in central New South Wales, Australia, approximately 27 kilometers north-northwest of the town of Parkes.[1] The mine was originally started in 1994 using open pit mining, with underground mining using the block caving method starting in 1997. The mine has an operational capacity to produce five million tonnes of ore per year, containing roughly 60,000 tonnes of copper and 50,000 ounces of gold. Economic viability of the mine is projected to extend at least to the year 2015.[2]
The mine is 80% owned by the Rio Tinto Group,[2] with the remaining 20% owned by the Sumitomo Group.[1]