One of Australia's most famous gold mines, the Super Pit is a large open-cut gold mine located adjacent to the town of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia.
Commodity
Gold
Owner
KCGM Joint Venture
Operator
Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM)
Operating Status
operating
Mining Method
Open pit
History
Gold was first discovered in the Kalgoorlie area in 1893 by Irish prospectors Paddy Hannan, Tom Flanagan and Dan O'Shea. The Golden Mile became one of the richest gold deposits in the world. Dozens of separate underground mines operated along the Golden Mile until 1989, when they were consolidated into a single open-pit operation — the Super Pit — by Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM). The pit has since grown to approximately 3.6 kilometres long, 1.6 kilometres wide and over 600 metres deep.
Why It's Iconic
The Super Pit is one of the largest open-cut gold mines in Australia and has been a cornerstone of Western Australian gold production for decades.
Scale and Production
Annual production of approximately 450,000 ounces of gold. The Super Pit has produced over 20 million ounces since consolidation in 1989.
Equipment
Technology and Autonomous Systems
Processing Infrastructure
The Fimiston Mill processes ore from the Super Pit through a conventional CIL (carbon-in-leach) circuit. The plant has a capacity of approximately 13 million tonnes per annum, producing gold doré bars on site.
Workforce
Approximately 1,100 employees and contractors work directly on site, with a mix of residential and FIFO workers. Kalgoorlie is one of the few major mining operations where residential living is common.
Common Roles
Common Rosters
Major Milestones
- 1893: Gold discovered by Paddy Hannan
- 1989: Consolidation of underground mines into Super Pit
- 2000s: Expansion to current dimensions
- Ongoing: Underground development beneath the pit continues
Interesting Facts
- The Super Pit sits on the Golden Mile — one of the richest square miles of gold-bearing earth on the planet
- The pit is visible from space
- Blasting occurs regularly and can be felt in Kalgoorlie-Boulder
- The operation has transitioned from open pit to underground as the pit reaches final depth
Applying for process or production roles? Present your plant, equipment and site experience clearly to mining recruiters.