BHP Billiton is considering a major expansion of its Olympic Dam operations to more than double current production capacity.
The Olympic Dam resource is massive. An open pit mine is the current preferred option to achieve the proposed capacity increase because of the scale of the resource.
BHP Billiton is undertaking a selection study, which includes the examination of a broad range of alternatives. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being prepared for the Australian and South Australian Governments.
ODX Timeline Targets
The Olympic Dam Expansion project is split into five key stages.
Stage 1: Concept
Understanding the potential and the possibility
Stage 2: Selection
Rigorously examine development alternatives and analytically select a preferred development plan
Stage 3: Definition
Refine and optimize the single go-forward case
Stage 4: Execution
Construct and commission
Stage 5: Operation
Ramp-up to full scale production
Once the selection study and EIS are complete and the EIS is approved by the South Australian and Australian governments, the Board of BHP Billiton will review the findings and determine whether to proceed to the next stages of project. These include the definition study, mine pre-strip and the final execution phase of the project.
Because of the complexity and length of time that the entire process will take, a separate organisation – the Olympic Dam Expansion project team – has been established in Adelaide within BHP Billiton’s Uranium Customer Sector Group.
