About Us
Magellan Metals is wholly owned by and the principal operating asset of Ivernia Inc, an international base metals mining, exploration and development company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol IVW.
The Magellan Mine is an open cut lead carbonate mine and concentrating facility located 30 kilometres from Wiluna in Western Australia’s Mid-West region. The mine produces lead carbonate concentrate for export to customers in China and other countries.
At full production this unique operation has the capacity to be the world's most significant pure lead mine - accounting for approximately 2% of the total world mined lead production.
Following issues with the bulk loading of Magellan’s product at the Port of Esperance in 2006/7, the mine was placed on care and maintenance in April 2007. In August 2009, Magellan Metals obtained final approvals to commence bagged and containerised sealed shipments of lead carbonate concentrates through the Port of Fremantle, following extensive community and Government consultation.
In September 2009 Magellan Metals began export of the lead concentrate stockpiles at the mine-site to its international customers using the sealed shipment process. All shipments have been without incident and in full compliance with the stringent conditions imposed on the process by the Western Australian Minister for Environment.
In parallel with shipping the stockpiled material, Magellan embarked during the second half of 2009 on the detailed mine restart planning process. Significant additions to the Magellan Management Team were made in the fourth quarter of 2009 and recruitment of the mine-site workforce commenced. At full complement the Magellan workforce will be approximately 160 people including contractors.
The Mine is expected to produce an estimated 60,000 tonnes of contained lead during 2010 with approximately 85,000 tonnes expected when the mine is at full production.
Demand for lead continues to grow, fuelled largely by domestic industrialisation in China and other developing economies. There is every indication that these conditions will extend well into the future, with Magellan Metals positioned as a leading lead producer.
As part of its commitment under the terms of the Esperance Agreement with the Government of Western Australia, on 4 February 2010 Magellan Metals made an initial A$3 million payment (one third of the final total) to the Western Australian Government as a contribution towards the Government managed clean-up of the Esperance Port and Town.
In addition, the A$1 million Magellan Metals Community Fund was established in early 2009. The fund is a three-year program to support not-for-profit projects in Esperance which have a focus on sustainable benefits for a broad cross section of the Esperance community.
In 2009 ten community programs received funding to the value of $298,273, and Magellan also contributed $50,000 toward the CT Scanner Project for the Esperance Hospital. In 2010 the Magellan Metals Community Fund committed a further $286,108 to nine Esperance organisations to undertake a variety of local community projects.
The restart of processing and mining operations at the Magellan Mine near Wiluna is the final stage in bringing the Mine back into full operation. In parallel with restarting its operations, Magellan is engaging with the Wiluna Regional Partnership Agreement (Wiluna RPA), a newly re-invigorated forum bringing 50 partners together from the Aboriginal community together with all levels of government, industry (particularly the mining industry) and the wider community of the Shire of Wiluna. Its purpose is to create a collaborative partnership to address a wide scope of social, economic and cultural development needs in the Shire of Wiluna.
