Sandfire drilling ramp-up at Kalkaroo: pit design and PFS insights for mine planners
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on Australian Mining
30 Second Briefing
Sandfire Resources has begun a major drilling campaign at the Kalkaroo copper–gold project in South Australia, targeting one of the country’s largest undeveloped open-pit copper–gold deposits ahead of a planned pre-feasibility study. The programme starts with a first drill rig already on site and additional rigs to follow, aimed at tightening resource definition and testing extensions around the proposed pit shell. Results will directly inform geotechnical design parameters, pit slope optimisation and mine scheduling for the forthcoming PFS.
Technical Brief
- Sandfire Resources is operator, progressing Kalkaroo as a large-scale open-pit copper–gold asset.
- Site is located in South Australia, implying design under that jurisdiction’s mining and environmental regulations.
- Early drilling mobilisation via a single rig suggests staged ramp-up and progressive data acquisition.
- LinkedIn was used for disclosure, indicating near real-time communication of drilling progress and key intercepts.
- Characterisation of Kalkaroo as “one of Australia’s largest undeveloped” deposits flags potential multi-decade mine life planning.
- Scale of the undeveloped resource implies future requirements for large pit slope heights and complex geotechnical zoning.
Our Take
Our database shows Sandfire Resources has been advancing copper assets on three continents – Motheo in Botswana, Black Butte in the US and now Kalkaroo in South Australia – signalling a portfolio strategy that balances jurisdictional risk across Africa, North America and Australia.
The earlier definitive agreements with Havilah Resources giving Sandfire a pathway to 80 per cent of Kalkaroo suggest this ramp‑up in drilling is likely aimed at quickly converting and optimising the copper–gold resource base ahead of any major development decision.
Sandfire’s use of a 21 MW leased solar plant at Motheo indicates that any eventual development concept at Kalkaroo in South Australia may face internal pressure to incorporate similar low‑carbon power solutions to keep operating costs and emissions competitive with its other copper operations.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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