Olympic Dam is a multi-commodity underground mine in South Australia, one of the world's largest deposits of copper, uranium, gold and silver.
Commodity
Copper, Uranium, Gold, Silver
Owner
BHP
Operator
BHP
Operating Status
operating
Mining Method
Underground
History
Olympic Dam was discovered in 1975 by Western Mining Corporation after years of exploration in the Stuart Shelf region of South Australia. The deposit was revealed to be one of the world's largest known copper-uranium-gold-silver ore bodies. Production began in 1988. BHP acquired the operation through its takeover of WMC Resources in 2005. The operation has been primarily underground since inception, with a proposed open-pit expansion shelved in 2012.
Why It's Iconic
Olympic Dam is one of the largest known copper-uranium-gold-silver deposits in the world and a key operation in South Australia's mining sector.
Scale and Production
Olympic Dam produces approximately 200,000 tonnes of copper, 4,000 tonnes of uranium oxide, plus significant gold and silver annually. It is one of the world's largest copper-uranium operations.
Equipment
Technology and Autonomous Systems
Processing Infrastructure
Olympic Dam operates one of the most complex processing circuits in Australian mining. Ore is crushed, ground and processed through flotation to produce copper concentrate, which is then smelted and refined on site to produce copper cathode. Uranium is recovered as a by-product through hydrometallurgical leaching. Gold and silver are also recovered.
Workforce
Approximately 3,000 employees and contractors, primarily residential in Roxby Downs — a purpose-built town approximately 560km north of Adelaide. The operation is one of the largest residential mining workforces in Australia.
Common Roles
Common Rosters
Major Milestones
- 1975: Deposit discovered by Western Mining Corporation
- 1988: Production begins
- 2005: BHP acquires operation via WMC takeover
- 2012: Proposed open-pit expansion shelved
- Ongoing: Underground expansion and modernisation continues
Interesting Facts
- One of the world's largest known copper-uranium-gold-silver deposits
- Primarily an underground mine — rare at this scale
- The purpose-built town of Roxby Downs houses much of the workforce
- Processing includes smelting and refining on site — one of few Australian mines with a smelter
- The ore body is so large it could support mining for decades
Applying for process or production roles? Present your plant, equipment and site experience clearly to mining recruiters.