Big Bell Gold Mine

Big Bell is situated within the Murchison Goldfield, approximately 750 km north of Perth near Cue, Mid-West Western Australia. The terrain is characterised by flat to gently undulating semi-arid scrubland overlying Archaean greenstone belts. This low-relief topography simplifies bulk earthworks and haul road construction, yet the extreme remoteness and seasonal heat cycles impose critical constraints on heavy equipment mobilisation, civil grading schedules, and dust suppression programmes across all surface infrastructure corridors.

Big Bell operates as a core asset within Westgold's Cue Gold Operations portfolio, currently in active production phase. Workforce deployment relies on structured FIFO roster cycles (typically 8:6 or 14:7), with personnel rotated through Meekatharra or Perth. Key B2B supply categories include:

• Camp catering and facilities management
• Explosives and ground support consumables
• Mobile plant maintenance and tyre services
• Fuel logistics and bulk reagent supply
• Medical, safety and PPE provisioning

The operation employs underground longhole open stoping methods targeting high-grade gold lodes within Archaean shear zones. Processing infrastructure demands include:

• Primary crushing and SAG/ball mill grinding circuits
• Gravity concentration and CIL (Carbon-in-Leach) gold recovery
• Cyanide detoxification systems (INCO SO₂/Air process)
• High-precision reagent dosing (NaCN, lime, flocculants)
• Paste fill or hydraulic backfill reticulation underground

Physico-chemical control of leach pH (10.5–11.0) and dissolved oxygen is critical to gold recovery efficiency.

Westgold applies proactive tailings storage facility (TSF) management aligned with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). ESG commitments at Cue Operations encompass:

• Engineered TSF liner systems and leachate monitoring bores
• Progressive land rehabilitation and native vegetation restoration
• Water recycling from TSF return-water systems (>70% reuse targets)
• Greenhouse gas reporting under NGER Act obligations
• Aboriginal heritage clearance protocols pre-disturbance