Aberfoyle Limited, and later Western Metals Resources Ltd, operated the world-class Hellyer underground mine near Waratah in western Tasmania. The mine was opened in 1989 on a blind ore body discovered in 1983 by modern exploration techniques. The ore was concentrated on site, with the concentrates railed to Burnie for shipment.
Economically extractable ore reserves at Hellyer were exhausted, with underground mining ceasing on 7 June 2000. The mine was officially closed on 23 June 2000, with the processing mill being placed on care and maintenance. Feasibility studies have since been undertaken, and a demonstration plant constructed, to assess the viability of mining tailings from the earlier operations. These tailings comprise around 11 million tonnes of material grading 3% zinc and 2.7 grams/tonne gold.
During the eleven years of mining at Hellyer the ore body yielded more than 15 million tonnes of ore from which 2.7 million tonnes of zinc concentrate, 728 000 tonnes of lead concentrate and 601 000 tonnes of bulk concentrate were produced. The mine generated around $1.3 billion in gross revenue and employed up to 300 people.
Following mine closure the treatment plant at Hellyer was retained on care and maintenance. Refurbishment of this facility was completed in 2006/2007 by Intec Limited and retreatment of the Hellyer tailings commenced. A total of 696 000 tonnes of tailings were mined in 2006/2007 to produce 27 100 tonnes of zinc, 2365 tonnes of lead and 5 kg of silver. The tailings retreatment ceased in late 2008.
