Cadia is one of Australia's largest gold and copper mines, located near Orange in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales.
Commodity
Gold, Copper
Owner
Newmont
Operator
Newmont (formerly Newcrest)
Operating Status
operating
Mining Method
Underground
History
Cadia is one of Australia's largest gold mining operations, located near Orange in central western New South Wales. Copper-gold mineralisation was discovered in the 1990s, with production beginning in 1998 as an open-pit operation before transitioning to underground block cave mining. Newmont (formerly Newcrest, acquired 2024) operates the mine, which has become a world leader in block cave mining technology.
Why It's Iconic
Cadia is one of the largest underground gold-copper operations in Australia and a landmark in Australian gold mining.
Scale and Production
Cadia is one of Australia's largest gold producers, with annual production exceeding 800,000 ounces of gold and 100,000 tonnes of copper. The Cadia East underground expansion has extended mine life to 30+ years.
Equipment
Technology and Autonomous Systems
Processing Infrastructure
Cadia processes ore through a large SAG and ball mill circuit followed by flotation to produce copper-gold concentrate. The concentrate is then treated through pressure oxidation (POX) and CIL circuits to recover gold and copper. The plant has a capacity of approximately 32 million tonnes per annum across the Cadia Valley operations.
Workforce
Approximately 1,800 employees and contractors, primarily residential in the Orange and Blayney communities. Cadia is one of the few major Australian gold mines with a predominantly residential workforce.
Common Roles
Common Rosters
Major Milestones
- 1996: Major copper-gold discovery
- 1998: Production begins as open pit
- 2012: Transition to underground block cave mining
- 2020s: Cadia East expansion completed
- Ongoing: One of Australia's largest gold-copper mines
Interesting Facts
- One of Australia's largest gold mines by production
- World leader in block cave mining technology
- Predominantly residential workforce near Orange, NSW
- Produces both gold and copper
- The Cadia East underground is one of the largest panel cave operations globally
- Mine life extends beyond 30 years
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