St Ives Gold Mine
Technical Short Form Report
31 December 2011
2
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Salient features
¨¨
Mineral Resources at 5.3 Moz.
¨¨
Mineral Reserves consistent post depletion at 2.8 Moz.
¨¨
Full production achieved at Athena in September 2011.
¨¨
First ore intersected at the new Hamlet mine and
development of new infrastructure making good progress.
¨¨
Neptune Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves continue
to grow.
¨¨
Life of Mine extended to 2018.
The St Ives tenement holdings are located in the highly prospective Norseman-Wiluna
Archaean Greenstone Belt, mining a dynamic mix of open pit and underground operations.
Accelerated greenfields exploration initiated in 2011 realising new targets and options.
Geographic location
• Derby
St Ives
Tenements
Western
Australia
Yilgarn
Craton
• Leinster
• Kalgoorlie
• Perth
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
3
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1. Overview
IFC
1. Overview
Page 1
2. K
ey aspects
Page 2
3. O
perating statistics
Page 3
4. G
eological setting and mineralisation
Page 4
5. Mining
Page 6
6. Projects
Page 7
7. M
ineral processing
Page 7
8. S
ustainable development
Page 8
9. M
ineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
Page 9
10. R
egulatory codes
Page 13
11. C
ompetent Persons
Page 13
12. K
ey technical staff
Page 14
13. B
rief history
Page 17
The St Ives Gold Mining Company (Pty) Limited
is wholly owned by Gold Fields Limited and is
situated within the highly prospective
Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belt in Western
Australia. The St Ives operations are situated
within mining tenements comprised of
277 mining titles (54,749 hectares), three
mineral titles (364 hectares), 14 exploration
licences (27,572 hectares), 45 prospecting
licences (7,190 hectares) and 19 miscellaneous
licences (14,634 hectares) for a total area of
approximately 104,509 hectares.
St Ives represents a solid base for growth in
Australia and is an important contributor to
the Gold Fields vision, “To be the global
leader in sustainable gold mining,” with a
target contribution from the Australasia
Region of 1,0 Moz per annum in production
or in development by 2015.
Declared Mineral Resources at the St Ives
Gold Mine decreased by 450 koz primarily
due to depletion and closure of the Belleisle
mine during 2011, while the Mineral
Reserves, inclusive of a depletion of 520 koz
since December 2010, was steady at
2.8 Moz. Changes to Mineral Reserves from
December 2010 were dominated by
discoveries at Neptune, Cave Rocks,
Trinidad and the Britannia Footwall project,
with nominal growth at Hamlet and Athena.
The St Ives Life of Mine (LoM) was extended
by an additional year, as discovery and
opportunities associated with the higher
gold price contributed towards additional
Mineral Reserves. Ongoing exploration
achievements and increased drilling of the
mine’s extensive greenfields project pipeline
in a major well-endowed gold camp
provides the basis for further Mineral
Resource extensions and discovery.
Resource definition drilling from platforms on Lake Lefroy.
Geographic location
This technical short form report reflects the
latest consolidated Life of Mine plan input
parameters, coupled with an updated
Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve
statement as at 31 December 2011. All
Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve
figures reported are managed unless
otherwise stated and Mineral Resources are
inclusive of Mineral Reserves.
Cover image:
Lefroy Mill
Note: For abbreviations refer to page 28 and for
glossary of terms refer to page 29 – “Mineral
Resources and Mineral Reserves Overview 2011”.
1
Mars/Minotaur open pit
2. Key aspects
Independent audit
Figures reported in this declaration are as reviewed by independent external consultants as at
31 December 2011 (Optiro Pty Ltd for Mineral Resources and AMC Consultants Pty Ltd for Mineral
Reserves). Gold Fields has been informed that the audit identified no material shortcomings in any
process by which the St Ives Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves were evaluated
Prepared by
Gold Fields Limited in compliance with the SAMREC Code (2007 edition)
Effective date
31 December 2011
Source of information
This Technical Statement is a summary of the internally sourced document entitled December 2011
St Ives Competent Persons Report
Personal inspection
Personal inspection is conducted by the Competent Persons as listed, who are full-time employees of
Gold Fields Limited
General location
The St Ives operations extend from 5 to 25 kilometres south-southwest of the town of Kambalda in
Western Australia, approximately 630 kilometres east of Perth at latitude 31° 12’ S and longitude 121°
40’ E. The nearest major settlement is the town of Kalgoorlie situated 80 kilometres to the north.
Well-established power, access roads and supporting infrastructure exist in the area
Climate
St Ives is situated in an area of arid bush land. While occasional storm events may cause minor delays
to open pit mining operations, the climatic conditions do not materially impact on the normal
operations of the site
Licence status and
holdings
St Ives controls exploration and mineral rights over a total area of 104,509 hectares (total of granted
tenements) and has security of tenure for all current exploration and mining leases that contribute to
future Mineral Reserves.
Operational infrastructure
St Ives currently operates four underground mines accessed via declines and several open pits,
a centralised administrative office, an engineering workshop and Mill/CIP processing plant with a
supplementary Heap Leach processing plant
Deposit type
Archaean orogenic greenstone gold hosted in a number of different styles of mineralisation
Life of Mine (LoM)
It is estimated that the current Mineral Reserve will be depleted in 2018
Environmental/Health
& Safety
The mine maintained AS4801:2000 occupational health and safety management system certification
and ISO14001:2004, (environmental management system) certification. St Ives was certified as fully
compliant to the International Cyanide Management Code on 3 June 2009
Reporting codes
Gold Fields reports its Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves in accordance with the South African
Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2007
SAMREC Code), and other relevant international codes such as SEC Industry Guide 7, JORC Code
and NI 43 – 101. The Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves are underpinned by an appropriate
Mineral Resource Management process and protocol to ensure adequate corporate governance in
respect of the intent of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
2
3. Operating statistics
Units
Dec
2011
kBCM
7,977
kBCM
Dec
20101
June
2010
June
2009
June
2008
3,269
13,464
12,220
13,845
6,387
2,508
10,850
9,921
11,807
Open pit mining
Total mined
––
Waste mined
––
Ore mined
kt
4,307
2,053
6,643
5,799
5,143
Mined grade
g/t
1.8
1.9
1.4
1.5
1.7
waste:ore
3.4
3.3
4.2
4.3
5.8
kt
1,768
904
1,444
1,222
901
g/t
4.7
4.9
4.7
5.1
5.2
Strip ratio (volume)
Underground mining
––
Ore mined
––
Mined grade
Processing
––
Mill tonnes
kt
4,793
2,419
4,766
4,821
4,647
––
Heap leach tonnes
kt
1,952
866
2,052
2,441
2,586
kt
6,745
3,284
6,819
7,262
7,233
Total tonnes
––
Mill head grade
g/t
3.0
3.2
2.7
2.8
2.7
––
Heap leach head grade
g/t
0.9
0.8
0.9
0.8
0.9
g/t
2.4
2.6
2.2
2.1
2.0
Total head grade
––
Mill yield
g/t
2.8
3.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
––
Heap leach yield
g/t
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.6
Combined yield
g/t
2.1
2.3
1.9
1.8
1.8
Plant recovery factor –– Mill
%
94
94
93
91
93
%
55
58
56
56
64
– Mill
koz
433
230
389
394
371
– Heap leach
koz
32
13
32
37
47
koz
465
243
421
428
418
kg
14,449
7,557
13,097
13,322
12,992
A$/oz
867
781
832
806
644
A$/oz
873
757
806
805
649
US$/oz
901
710
710
596
582
A$ million
177
59
117
93
120
A$/oz
1,248
1,025
1,110
1,023
932
US$/oz
1,287
962
978
757
836
Employees (TEC)
number
796
778
766
699
661
Mineral Reserves
Mt
37.9
32.7
30.6
30.1
25.9
Mineral Reserve Head Grade
g/t
2.3
2.7
2.3
2.4
2.3
Moz
2.8
2.8
2.3
2.3
1.9
years
7
6
4
4
4
––
Heap leach
Gold Produced
Total gold produced
Financials
Operating cost
Total cash cost
Capital expenditure
Notional cash expenditure (NCE)
General
Mineral Reserves
Expected Life of Mine
Figures shown represent the six months to 31 December 2010. Rounding off of figures presented in this report may result in minor computational discrepancies. Where this
occurs it is not deemed significant.
1
3
4. Geological setting and mineralisation
In comparison to other greenstone belts in the Yilgarn Craton, the Norseman-Wiluna Belt is
highly mineralised, particularly in gold and nickel.
St Ives is situated in the NorsemanWiluna Greenstone Belt, which is part of
the Yilgarn Craton, a 2.6 Ga well
mineralised granite-greenstone terrain in
Western Australia. The rock types in the
belt comprise abundant tholeiitic and
komatiitic volcanic rocks, chert, sulphidic
and albitic sedimentary rocks, and a
chain of discrete felsic volcanic centres.
• Darwin
• Derby
NORTHERN
TERRITORY
Newman •
The gross structure is markedly linear
with north-north-west trending
strike-slip faults and other tectonic
lineaments traceable for hundreds of
kilometres, which disrupt the
greenstone into fault-bounded
domains. The generalised stratigraphic
sequence comprises three maficultramafic units, two felsic volcanic
units and an uppermost epiclastic
sequence.
Perth •
Local geology
St Ives lies within the Kambalda
domain, a subset of the NorsemanWiluna Belt. The Kambalda domain is
bound by the north-north-west trending
Boulder-Lefroy fault (BLF) and Zuleika
shear. The region has undergone four
compressional events predated by
early extension and has been
NEW SOUTH
WALES
ST IVES
• Sydney
Adelaide •
VICTORIA
Granitoids and Gneiss
• Canberra
•
Melbourne
Greenstone
Major Faults
Proterozoic unconformity
• Hobart
Province Boundary
ZIRCON
Age Dating
METRES
<2664 ± 6 Ma
Merougil
Creek
Beds
2662 - 2669 Ma
10 500
EPICLASTICS
Black
Flag
Beds
Junction
Argo
VOLCANICLASTICS
Condenser
Junction
Dolerite
2680 ± 8 Ma
2676 ± 4 Ma
AU
West Revenge/NRK
North Orchin
Old Victory
Repulce
PARINGA
BASALT
2690 ± 5 Ma
Defiance
Dolerite
Kapal Slate
Devon Consols
Basalt
2692 ± 4 Ma
Much of the Yilgarn Craton is deeply
weathered and partially covered by
Tertiary and Quaternary regolith.
Pre-Tertiary lateritic horizons are
variably exposed, eroded or buried by
later deposits that have in turn been
lateritised.
• Brisbane
Flames
Kambalda
Komatiite
2709 ± 4 Ma
AU
Silver Lake
Peridotite
AU
NI
Santa Ana
Sirius
Revenge
Defiance
Conqueror
Thunderer
Orchin
Kambalda
Granodiorite
Selected Gold Mines
metamorphosed to upper greenschist
or lower amphibolite facies.
The main structural feature of the
St Ives area is the gently southplunging Kambalda anticline, which
9 000
8 500
8 000
7 500
Mars
Minotaur
7 000
Agamemnon
Beta-Hunt
AU
<2720 ± 105 Ma
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
9 500
Hamlet
Athena
Intrepide
Redoutable
Belleisle
Tripco Hill
Komatiite
Lunnon
Basalt
10 000
Schematic of gold mineralisation occurrences
Metamorphism has affected all rock
types and ranges from low temperature
prehnite-pumpellyite facies to high
temperature-pressure amphibolite
and granulite facies. Flexures and
irregularities in many local and regional
shear zones are interpreted to be the
major control on location of the
majority of economic gold deposits
in the belt.
SOUTH
AUSTRALIA
BOULDER - LEFROY AND MEROUGAL FAULTS
There has been a complex and
long-lasting history of structural
deformation incorporating up to seven
significant stages (D0-D7) during and
after regional metamorphism. The gold
mineralising episodes are interpreted to
have occurred during thrusting and
faulting associated with the D2-D3
structural events.
QUEENSLAND
YILGARN
CRATON
Location and geological setting
WESTERN
AUSTRALIA
Caims •
6 500
6 000
5 500
5 000
4 500
4 000
extends 35 kilometres from the south
end of the Kambalda dome to the
Junction Mine. The majority of known
gold deposits are proximal to the trace
of the anticlinal axis. A major second
order structure known as the Playa
4
Most of the St Ives ore bodies mined to
date are associated with third order
splays off the Playa shear – notable
exceptions being Argo and Santa Ana
which are situated on the western limb
of the anticline. Mineralisation typically
occurs where these structures intersect
favourable rock units, with chemical or
rheological contrasts combining with
structural flexures to form the most
important local controls to
mineralisation. The stratigraphic
succession in the Kambalda domain
comprises Kalgoorlie group volcanic
rocks and the Black Flag group felsic
volcanic and sedimentary rocks overlain
by the post-tectonic Merougil beds unit.
The most common host rocks of gold
mineralisation are dolerites such as the
Defiance, Condenser and Junction
dolerites. Granophyric dolerite and
Kapai slate tend to host the highest
grade mineralisation. The Paringa
basalt and Kambalda komatiite host
deposits in discrete shear structures
that are moderate in both tonnage and
grade. Low to moderate-grade,
high-tonnage mineralisation is
commonly developed in porphyries,
which are found in almost all deposits.
Hydrothermal alteration and associated
gold mineralisation was synchronous
with deformation on a network of shear
zones. Alteration is concentrated in
10 centimetre to 300 metre wide halos
around shear zones. Gold is commonly
associated with pyrite or granular
pyrrhotite.
There are several styles of gold
mineralisation at St Ives. The individual
deposits may contain more than one of
these styles:
¨¨ Lode mineralisation: Archaean lode
mineralisation typically consisting of
0.5 to 20 metre wide mesothermal
vein complexes that may also have
hydraulic breccias and/or mylonites
indicating movement on a shear;
¨¨ Supergene mineralisation: Broad
zones of flat-lying gold
mineralisation in weathered
Archaean and overlying Tertiary
sediments; and
¨¨ Palaeoplacer mineralisation: Placer
deposits hosted by palaeochannels
in the unconsolidated Tertiary
sediments which overly the
Archaean basement.
Exploration and drilling
The St Ives exploration strategy
incorporates the integration of geological
information and knowledge of oreforming systems to identify targets with
the greatest potential for conversion
from endowment, thus maintaining a
high-value project pipeline (on-mine
exploration: Milestone pyramid). This
strategy includes:
¨¨ Greenfields – enhance the capacity
and data consolidation to identify
additional targets based on new
knowledge and application of
current research and development
initiatives. In 2011, St Ives drilled
approximately 80,000 metres in
early stage exploration;
¨¨ Continued support, application and
integration of company/industryfunded research projects aimed at
understanding the structural,
geochemical and ore mineralising
fluid pathways applicable to the
St Ives gold camp in conjunction
with our research partners CSIRO;
¨¨ Convert and integrate existing
knowledge and research into
three-dimensional information data
sets to identify additional target areas
internally to maximise the existing
sites geological endowment;
¨¨ Convert existing knowledge and
expand the future potential of the
Argo-Athena-Hamlet complex
environs;
¨¨ Increased targeting based on
understanding of the structural and
macro boundary modelling of ore
shoot development at various mine
sites; and
¨¨
Extensional drill-outs and
conversion of Inferred Resources to
mine defined Indicated Resource
levels to enable accurate geology
and resource models to be
completed to enable optimised
mine design, schedules and
profitable gold production.
St Ives maintains rigorous quality
assurance and quality control (QA/QC)
protocols on all of its exploration
programmes using best industry
practice in data acquisition, reputable
external laboratories and having
sign-off by Competent Persons under
the 2007 SAMREC and 2004 JORC
Codes.
Athena underground drive showing ore and veining
shear splays off the BLF shear zone
and can be traced through the St Ives
field for a distance in excess of
10 kilometres.
On-Mine exploration: Milestone pyramid
Yorick,
Poseidon,
North Shore,
Junction Target 4,
Incredible, Beta Porphyry
Drill target
definition
39 Active
Milestone 3 (Economic intersections and
structure of deposit coming together)
Tramways, Junction West 1,
Cyclops, Juggernaut,
NW Poseidon, Foster, Melech,
Foster 3, Foster 17,
Paluma Sunrise, LT17 South
Anomaly
definition
137 Active
Milestone 2 (Early stage
indications of mineralisation)
Project
generation
43 Active
Milestone 1
(Conceptual
targets)
Current most Prospective Projects listed. Black are Open Pit projects and yellow are
Underground targets
Heron East, Heron South, Junction Target 5,
Bartok, Zadok, Dorado, Foster 2,
Junction Target 3
5
5. Mining
St Ives currently operates four underground mines accessed via declines and several open pits,
a centralised administrative office, an engineering workshop and Mill/CIP processing plant with a
supplementary Heap Leach processing facility.
Mining methods
Open pit mining by conventional drill and blast/truck and
shovel is employed at all open pits. Grade control is generally
by inclined RC drilling. Open pit projects may include 10 to
40 metres of unconsolidated sedimentary overburden, which
does not require drill and blast, but needs hard rock to be
imported for sheeting to provide equipment access during
mining, and/or dewatering of the sedimentary overburden
prior to mining. Load-and-haul is by 140 tonne dump trucks
and 150 to 250 tonne excavators in backhoe and/or face
shovel configuration. Mining benches vary from 5 to
10 metres, which is excavated in five passes (flitches) of
about 2.5 metres per flitch. Gold mineralisation is mined
selectively to cut-offs and segregated into grade ranges as
required to balance the ore production and processing
capacities on site and maximise cash flow from operations.
Underground mines at St Ives are commonly extensions of
open pit mines. Underground operations are characterised by
common features which allow a high level of standardisation
in operating strategy, mine design, stoping methods, mining
equipment and utilisation. Mines are accessed via declines,
with additional development of raises for return airways and
ladderways as a second means of egress. Drives are
developed to access the ore and future stoping production
areas.
Underground mining at St Ives is predominantly mechanised
and is conducted by long-hole open stoping (LHOS), with
subordinate cut-and-fill and room-and-pillar stoping for the
shallower dipping ore bodies. The use of paste fill in
conjunction with LHOS is applied where mandated by
geotechnical factors. Development and stoping utilises
electric-hydraulic drilling jumbos and rubber-tyred dieselpowered LHDs, while trucks are used for load-and-haul
operations. Ore from both open pit and underground
operations is transported with road trains from individual
mining operations to the central St Ives processing facilities.
Open pit mining at Apollo
Gold mineralisation at St Ives is mined via both open pit and
underground methods to depths generally not exceeding 500
metres below surface. As many of the operations involve
mining deposits on or under Lake Lefroy (a shallow salt lake),
extraction requires construction of berms and other
earthworks to provide access, short-term stockpile areas and
to prevent water intrusion.
Open pit planning entails the input of economic parameters
and physical constraints into optimisation software to
generate a series of nested pits, from which an optimal shell
is selected. Detailed design is then undertaken to confirm the
mineability of the optimised shell.
Underground mining methods are largely determined by the
geometry of the mineralised zones and the evaluation may
involve review of more than one method. Mine design and
scheduling is done utilising sophisticated software.
Mine planning is based on three-dimensional block models of
in situ mineralisation, with allowances made for minimum
mining widths, dilution and ore loss appropriate to the mining
method being considered.
Infrastructure, waste disposal and ore stockpile management
requirements are incorporated into the planning process. Ore
stockpile management at St Ives strives to optimise the
metallurgical blend requirements to the Lefroy Mill and the
Heap Leach facility, with regard to material types and grade
management, to maximise cash flow from the operations.
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
Ventilation shaft, Athena
Mine planning and scheduling
Mineral Reserve definition processes for open pit and
underground operations are essentially similar. Cut-off grades
are applied to define potentially economic mining panels
based on direct mining and processing costs, group set
commodity prices and other parameters. The economic
viability of future mining panels is then tested by determining
whether the optimal margin after applying the appropriate
cut-off grade is sufficient to cover the required capital
development costs and provide a return on investment.
6
6. Projects
The current major mine expansion project is located at the new Hamlet deposit, which is in the
production build-up phase. Athena is now a fully fledged new mine, having reached commercial
levels of production in late 2011. A number of ancillary ventilation shafts and paste fill plants are
currently being constructed to service these two new mines.
Heap Leach expansion
The capacity of the Heap Leach pad reached final design
capacity (2009) based on the current throughput rate.
Ongoing production is now managed by the removal of spent
(leached) ore from the existing pads and the restacking of
new material. Site trials since September 2009 have indicated
that removal of the current spent material and re-usage of the
pads will be environmentally sound and economically viable
despite a number of initial transitional issues. A strategy of
flushing, removing, restacking and leaching is employed to
treat the available and future supply of the heap leach ore.
Aga / Delta / Revenge
Z
Delta Island
South
Y
Neptune
Redback
Neptune
South (A5)
Neptune/Redback resource model
Ongoing infrastructure development to meet current and future
mine extensions together with extending the lives of individual
mines through focused extensional exploration and
development continue. Other future projects are the new
Bellerophon open pit and potentially the establishment of the
Neptune open pit. Feasibility studies will be completed during
2012 on the Neptune deposit together with possible
integration into the existing open cuts and extension to the
south is under consideration.
Au (g/t)
FromTo
0.00.0
0.00.1
0.10.5
0.51.0
1.02.0
2.03.0
3.06.0
6.0999.0
Tailings storage facility
A fourth tailings storage facility (TSF 4) is currently under
construction within a phased number of cells. The initial
paddock is planned for operational deposition from mid-2012
and subsequent cells will be commissioned on an ongoing
basis as required over the next few years.
Notwithstanding the above, consideration for expansion of
the Heap Leach plant and the processing of low-grade
material remains an option.
7. Mineral processing
St Ives utilises two separate beneficiation processes, a CIP plant (Lefroy Mill) and a Heap Leach
facility for the treatment of mined ore and stockpiles.
Heap Leach stacking operation
The Lefroy Mill was commissioned in December 2004 and
achieved design capacity within seven months. It treats
medium to high-grade ore through a 4.8 Mtpa variable-speed
dual direction 13.5 MW sag mill with wraparound motor.
Oversize from the mill (scats) is in closed circuit with a
140-tonne-per-hour pebble crusher. A gravity circuit recovers
the gravity-recoverable gold from the milling circuit and the
concentrates are treated separately through to bullion form.
The mill cyclone overflow product reports to a five-stage
leach circuit consisting of mechanical agitators, reagent
addition and oxygen sparging.
Leached slurry passes through the six-stage carousel pump
cell adsorption plant and subsequent five-tonne capacity acid
wash, elution and electrowinning circuits which produce
calcine ready for smelting. Bullion is shipped by road and air
to the refinery in Perth. Tailings are alternately deposited on
two tailings facilities which are constructed upstream and are
of paddock type.
7
From June 2010 Heap Leach cut-offs were equivalent to
those of the Lefroy Mill due to higher rehandling costs.
Optimisation and capital upgrades of the heap leach
operation were implemented in 2011 to reduce cost and
improve throughput. A three-stage crushing circuit of 900 kw
installed comminution power is currently used in a 24-hour
operation to prepare -15 millimetre ores for agglomeration,
stacking and leaching. The remaining pad capacity of the
Heap Leach operation is 0.1 million tonnes, or half a month’s
production at the current throughput rate. The flushing
practice enables continual stacking at the Heap Leach facility
and will be employed to treat the remainder of the heap leach
ore supply.
Several small projects have been undertaken during 2011 at
the heap leach crushing facility to increase throughput to
2.7 Mtpa. These include tramp metal removal, decoupling of
the circuit (separating the crushing and agglomeration circuits
into two processes that can operate independently) and a
fully automatic stacker. A mobile oxide screen was recently
introduced to the circuit to screen off oxides at 35 millimetres
for direct feed into the agglomeration circuit, thereby
bypassing the comminution phase.
Gold is stripped off the carbon, electrowon and calcined at
the heap leach wet plant prior to shipment to the Lefroy gold
room for smelting.
8. Sustainable development
At St Ives we strive to create a workplace culture of “zero harm” and with the implementation of
owner mining and a single safety culture in 2011 we continue to work towards this goal.
St Ives remain committed and supports the Gold Fields
strategy of sustainable development and one of the highlights
of 2011 was the successful application and approval of the
beyond 2010 mining application on Lake Lefroy. This approval
obtained in late November 2011 is the result of three years
consultative work with all government and local interested and
affected role players that included environmental review of
potential mining activities that may impact on the Lefroy Salt
Lake at St Ives. The approval, with supporting strategies and
commitments by the mine, allows the opportunity to increase
mining operations and pit dimensions within the Lake Lefroy
confines to take advantage of higher gold prices and ongoing
successful discovery.
St Ives actively assists staff, through ongoing training and
development, and during 2011 areas of focus included the
roll-out of a new consolidated reporting and review safety
system (INX), risk awareness and management training, as well
as enhanced safety visibility and awareness programs. The ZIP
programme (Zero-Incident Process) continues to support and
encourages all employees though a process that gives the site
the opportunity to reach the goal of zero incidents. It
empowers people to be able to take control of their personal
Monitors reviewing construction
St Ives strives to achieve and maintain outstanding health
and safety performance through the participation of all
employees and the application of safe, innovative processes
and technologies, within a framework of OHSAS 18001,
which is an international occupational health and safety
management system standard against which our
management systems are assessed and certified.
safety. ZIP does this by giving staff an insight into the way their
brain works and how they can use it more effectively to keep
themselves safe.
At St Ives the consideration of our activities in a manner
which minimises our environmental and stakeholder impact
is fundamental to our operations and the way we do
business. The operation is committed to responsible
stewardship of natural resources, proactive engagement
with all stakeholders and behaving in an environmentally
responsible manner. This is demonstrated through our
commitment to continuous improvement of the site
management systems and operational performance. This is
evident through our ISO 14001:2004 certification and
compliance with our licence to operate.
Safety statistics
Class
June 2008
June 2009
June 2010
(No)
0
0
0
0
0
Fatality rate
(per mmhrs)
0
0
0
0
0
LDIFR
(per mmhrs)
1.8
0.8
4.1
3.9
2.9
Fatalities
1
Dec 20101
Dec 2011
Units
For six months to December 2010.
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
8
9. Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
Geology and evaluation models have been updated to reflect the latest available data sets.
An integrated mine design and schedule plan based on current performance levels and takes
cognisance of the inherent risks associated with mining operations at St Ives.
Mineral Resources
The Mineral Resource statement for St Ives is summarised in
the tables below. The impacts of year-on-year changes are
discussed in the reconciliation section. The following factors
apply to the Mineral Resources presented in this report:
¨¨ Mineral Resources are quoted at an appropriate in situ
economic cut-off grade with tonnages and grades based
on the relevant resource block models. The Mineral
Resources also include estimates of any material below
the cut-off grade required to be mined to extract the
economic portion of the Mineral Resource;
¨¨
¨¨
¨¨
100% attributable to St Ives Gold Mine;
Surface sources are comprised of stockpiles and are
supported by adequate sampling, and are thus classified
as Measured Mineral Resources; and
All references to “tonnes” should be taken as being in
metric units.
Tonnes (Mt)
Grade (g/t)
Gold (’000 oz)
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
June
2010
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
June
2010
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
June
2010
Measured
2.7
4.7
4.1
3.8
3.1
4.3
327
472
572
Indicated
43.2
41.4
48.0
2.6
2.9
2.5
3,591
3,898
3,847
Inferred
11.8
13.7
24.0
3.2
2.9
3.0
1,222
1,271
2,311
Total open pit and
underground
57.7
59.7
76.1
2.8
2.9
2.7
5,140
5,641
6,729
Measured
5.6
3.3
5.2
1.0
1.2
1.0
174
124
170
Total surface stockpiles
5.6
3.3
5.2
1.0
1.2
1.0
174
124
170
63.3
63.0
81.3
2.6
2.8
2.6
5,314
5,765
6,899
Mineral Resource
classification
Open pit and underground
Surface stockpiles
Grand total
Tonnes (Mt)
Grade (g/t)
Gold (’000 oz)
Mineral Resource
by source
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
June
2010
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
June
2010
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
June
2010
Open pit
38.9
39.6
49.2
1.9
2.0
1.8
2,391
2,563
2,867
Underground
18.8
20.1
27.0
4.6
4.8
4.5
2,749
3,078
3,862
5.6
3.3
5.2
1.0
1.2
1.0
174
124
170
63.3
63.0
81.3
2.6
2.8
2.6
5,314
5,765
6,899
Stockpiles
Total
Modifying factors
¨¨ The Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources are
inclusive of those Mineral Resources modified to produce
Mineral Reserves;
¨¨ All Mineral Reserves are quoted in terms of run of mine
(RoM) grades and tonnages as delivered to the
metallurgical processing facilities and are therefore fully
diluted;
¨¨ The Mineral Reserve statements include only Measured
and Indicated Mineral Resources, modified to produce
Mineral Reserves and contained in the LoM plan; and
¨¨
Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves undergo both
internal and external audits during the year and any issues
identified are rectified at the earliest opportunity – usually
during the current reporting cycle, though it does
sometimes occur that more comprehensive work requires
more time for adequate completion.
For modifying parameters, see page 10.
9
0.37 – 0.60
0.67 – 0.94
g/t
0.5 – 0.8
0.37 – 0.77
g/t
1.6 – 2.6
2.30 – 3.30
US$/oz
US$:A$
A$/oz
1,000
1.22
1,225
1,300
1.07
1,400
g/t
0.5 – 0.8
0.38 – 0.56
g/t
0.7 – 0.8
0.68 – 0.70
g/t
waste:ore
%
1.6 – 3.5
6.2
13 – 30
2.60 – 3.70
6.2
6 – 50
%
%
%
90 – 93
100
83 – 94
90 – 99
97
83 – 94
%
Mtpa
Mtpa
degrees
55 – 75
4.8
2.5
25 – 45
55 – 75
4.8
2.7
25 – 45
Gold price
Cut-off for Heap
Leach
Cut-off for mill feed
open pit
Cut-off for mill feed
u/g
Strip ratio
Dilution (open pits)
Mining recovery
(open pits)
Mine Call Factor
Plant recovery factor
Heap Leach recovery
factor
Processing capacity
Heap Leach capacity
Pit wall angles
60
8
50
6
40
4
30
20
2
10
0
0.0
0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
— Average grade above cut-off (g/t)
0.5 – 0.7
0.7 – 2.6
Cut-off for Heap
Leach
Cut-off for mill feed
Cut-off for open pit
(mill)
Cut-off for
underground (mill)
Mineral Reserve
parameters
Open pits
4.0
Cut-off grade (g/t)
Underground
50
14
12
40
10
30
8
20
6
4
10
2
0
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
— Average grade above cut-off (g/t)
g/t
g/t
Gold price
Grade tonnage curves
— Tonnes (millions)
Dec
2011
1,450
1.07
1,550
— Tonnes (millions)
US$/oz
US$:A$
A$/oz
Dec
2010
1,100
1.22
1,350
Mineral Resource
parameters
9
Cut-off grade (g/t)
Mineral Reserves
Reported Mineral Reserves at St Ives were consistent at 2.8 Moz since December 2010, which indicates that depletion at 520 koz
was matched by an underlying equivalent increase of 512 koz. The dominant contributors to Mineral Reserves at St Ives are the
Athena, Hamlet, Bellerophon, Neptune and Cave Rocks projects. The Mineral Reserve statement for St Ives is summarised in the
tables below and these following points apply:
¨¨ Estimates for St Ives include allowances for all relevant modifying factors;
¨¨ Mineral Reserves are reported in terms of tonnages, grades and contained gold delivered for processing;
¨¨ Surface sources are comprised of stockpiles. St Ives assumes that stockpiles are supported by adequate sampling, and are
thus classified as Proved Mineral Reserves; and
¨¨ All references to “tonnes” should be taken as being in metric units.
Tonnes (Mt)
Mineral Reserve
classification
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
Grade (g/t)
June
2010
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
Gold (’000 oz)
June
2010
Dec
2011
Dec
2010
June
2010
Open pit and underground
1.7
3.2
2.1
3.9
3.1
3.9
215
315
267
Probable
30.6
26.3
23.3
2.5
2.8
2.5
2,423
2,381
1,853
Total open pit and underground
32.3
29.5
25.4
2.5
2.8
2.6
2,639
2,696
2,120
5.6
3.3
5.2
1.0
1.2
1.0
174
124
170
Proved
Surface stockpiles
Proved
Total surface stockpiles
Grand total
5.6
3.3
5.2
1.0
1.2
1.0
174
124
170
37.9
32.7
30.6
2.3
2.7
2.3
2,813
2,820
2,290
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
10
Proved
Mineral Reserve
classified per mining area
Tonnes
(kt)
Grade
(g/t)
Probable
Gold
(koz)
Tonnes
(kt)
Total Mineral Reserve
Grade
(g/t)
Gold
(koz)
Tonnes
(kt)
Grade
(g/t)
Gold
(koz)
Open pit
BLC land
–
–
–
5,488
1.24
220
5,488
1.24
220
Condenser North
–
–
–
181
2.19
13
181
2.19
13
Condenser South
–
–
–
104
2.91
10
104
2.91
10
Foster
–
–
–
965
1.92
59
965
1.92
59
Greater Intrepide
19
0.45
0.3
5,056
1.66
270
5,075
1.66
271
Greater Revenge
742
1.38
33
2,778
1.53
137
3,521
1.50
170
18
2.46
1
3,638
1.39
162
3,656
1.39
164
–
–
–
163
2.62
14
163
2.62
14
Greater Victory
Junction
Kambalda Dome
–
–
–
341
0.93
10
341
0.93
10
45
2.05
3
3,515
2.63
297
3,560
2.62
300
824
1.42
38
22,228
1.67
1,192
23,052
1.66
1,230
96
4.52
14
419
4.36
59
516
4.39
73
Argo
478
6.18
95
245
5.28
42
723
5.87
137
Athena
306
6.70
66
1,906
5.57
342
2,211
5.73
407
Neptune
Total open pit
Underground
Cave Rocks
Hamlet
–
–
–
4,690
4.62
697
4,690
4.62
697
35
2.64
3
1,111
2.58
92
1,146
2.58
95
915
6.04
178
8,372
4.57
1,231
9,287
4.72
1,409
Total surface stockpiles
5,598
0.97
174
–
–
–
5 598
0.97
174
Grand total
7,337
1.65
390
30,600
2.46
2,423
37,936
2.31
2,813
Greater Victory
Total underground
Loading ore from drive at Belleisle
Surface
11
Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves reconciliation year-on-year
Factors that affected Mineral Resource reconciliation:
Factors that affected Mineral Reserve reconciliation:
¨¨
Economic factors (higher costs);
¨¨
¨¨
Depletion for the 12 months to 31 December 2011 of
520 koz, measured by processing feed; and
Mined depletion for the period was measured by
processing feed (-520 Moz);
¨¨
Discovery was dominated by Neptune, Cave Rocks,
Britannia Footwall, Trinidad and nominal increases at
Athena and Hamlet (0.68 Moz);
¨¨
Higher costs partially offset by gold price increases
(- 0.31 Moz); and
¨¨
Resource modelling: Bellerophon (0.13 Moz).
New discovery (0.48 Moz) offset by economics and
mine design (- 0.45 Moz)
Change in Mineral Reserves
December 2010 to December 2011
2.5
0.5
0
0.0
Other
December 2011
1.0
Economics and
mine design
1.0
Inclusions or
exclusions
1.5
2.0
Resource
modelling
3.0
Discovery
2.0
Depletion
4.0
0.0
2.8
0.3
0.0
2.8
December 2011
5.3
Other
0.0
Economics and
mine design
0.4
0.1
0.5
Exclusions or
Inclusions
0.0
0.5
0.7
3.0
Resource
modelling
0.0
5.8
3.5
Discovery
5.0
0.5
Post depletion
6.0
December 2010
7.0
December 2010
Gold (Moz)
Change in Mineral Resources
December 2010 to December 2011
Gold (Moz)
¨¨
Mineral Reserve Sensitivity
The following graph indicates the managed Mineral Reserve
Sensitivity at -10%, -5%, Base, +5%, +10% and +25% to the
gold price. To illustrate the impact of fluctuations in gold price
and exchange rates on the current declaration, St Ives has
generated sensitivities with respect to Mineral Reserves.
These sensitivities (other than for the base case) are not
supported by detailed plans and should only be considered
on an indicative basis; specifically as such sensitivities
assume 100% selectivity, without any operating cost
increases.
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.8
2.4
3.0
3.1
Stamping newly poured gold bars
Gold (Moz)
Managed Mineral Reserve Sensitivity
2.6
2.0
1.0
0
(-10%)
(-5%)
(Base)
1,400
(+5%)
(+10%)
(+25%)
Gold price (A$/oz)
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
12
10. Regulatory codes
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
The Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves are
underpinned by an appropriate Mineral Resource
management process and protocol to ensure adequate
corporate governance in respect of the intent of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
JSE
This technical statement has been prepared in compliance
with the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited, South
Africa (JSE), specifically Section 12.
Environmental
St Ives has an environmental management team which is
supported by specialists from the regional and corporate
offices in Johannesburg and Perth. The systems, procedures,
training etc. are at international leading practice levels.
Open pit mining activities
SAMREC
This technical statement has been prepared in compliance
with the South Africa Code for the Reporting of Exploration
Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2007
SAMREC Code).
11. Competent Persons
Technical reviews have been conducted by the Competent Persons as listed, who are full-time
employees of Gold Fields Limited.
Competent Persons
M Jolly: Manager Mineral Resources
MSc (Geology), EDP Wits Business School, MAusIMM (304960). Mr Jolly has 31 years’ experience in the mining industry
(three years at St Ives) and is responsible for the overall correctness, standard and compliance of this declaration.
J Woodcock: Exploration Manager
MSc (Geology), MAusIMM (305446). Mr Woodcock has 11 years’ experience in the mining industry (one year at St Ives) and is
responsible for surface exploration and resource development drilling and the oversight of resource development geology
models.
E Taylor: Acting Principal Resource Geologist
BSc (Hons) Geological Engineering, MAusIMM (990584). Mr Taylor has 12 years’ mining industry experience (two years at
St Ives), and is responsible for the gold resource estimation processes and models.
E Murray-Hayden: Acting Mine Geology Manager
MSc (Geology), Mrs Murray-Hayden has eight years’ experience in the mining industry (six years at St Ives) and is responsible
for the mine geology functions at St Ives.
S Ellery: Resource Evaluation Superintendent
BSc (Hons), MSc Geology, Grad Dip Applied Finance and Investment (SIA), MAusIMM (110420). Mr Ellery has 21 years’
experience in the mining industry (19 years at St Ives) and is responsible for some aspects of economic evaluation at St Ives.
13
12. Key technical staff
Incumbent
Qualifications
Years
Key responsibilities
General Manager
Edward
Lambourne
Associate Diploma Engineering
Diploma Business Management
25
Responsible for overall strategic
direction, leadership and management
Operations Manager
Craig Bradshaw
B. Eng ( Honours) Mining Engineering
19
Full operational management
Manager Mineral
Resources
Malcolm Jolly
MSc (Geology), EDP (Wits)
COM Cert. Rock Engineering
31
Exploration and mine geology
Compilation of CPR
Commercial Manager
Charl van
Rensburg
B.Com
18
Financial management, reporting and
compliance
Human Resources
Manager
Petro Bekker
B.Tech HR
29
Human resources, safety and health,
emergency services
Processing Manager
Metallurgy
Lefroy Mill
Scott Davies
BSc (Hons) (Mineral Science)
MAusIMM
12
Lefroy Plant
Mineral processing
Metallurgy and tailings management.
Processing
Manager Metallurgy
Heap Leach
Warwick
McKenzie
MSc Extractive Metallurgy
MAusIMM
11
Mineral processing
Metallurgy
Heap leach plant
Engineering Manager
Brian Cameron
Mechanical Engineer Certificate
No 5025
Diploma In Business Certificate
No 00766
30
Engineering, logistics and infrastructure
management
Technical Manager
Robert Urie
B. Eng (Hons) Mining Engineering. Dipl
Applied Finance
18
Responsible for the mine planning and
scheduling of underground mining
operations.
Environment Manager
Peter Bayliss
BSc (Hons) (Applied Biology)
MPhil (Environmental Sciences)
23
Environmental management
Safety Manager
Edward Anderson B. App Science(Chem). FRACI, FAOQ
35
Occupational health and safety
View over Lake Lefroy
Post
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
14
Buildings
Towns
Unsealed roads
Gold rights only
Santa Ana
Bahama
Pistol Club
Kambalba
East
Proposed pits
Sealed roads
1
Stockpiles
Waste dump
2
5
3
Swiftsure
4
6
7
9
19
21
22
Neptune
23
8
Intrepide
Redoubtable
Temeraire
Gatehouse
Silver Lake Laboratory
Core Farm
Active pits
Tailings/Leach pad
Kambalba
West
Inactive pits
Lease outline
Reference
17
18
16
14
Paddys
15
Africa
Bellerophon
Lake Lefroy
Metres
1 000
2 000
3 000
4 000
5 000
13 Blue Lodge Cutback
12 Clifton West
11 Pinnace
10 Lifeboat
9 Orchin
8 Lefroy Mill/Administration
7 West Revenge
6 South Delta
5 Agamemnon South
4 Agamemnon West
3 Minotaur
2 Mars
1 Cave Rock U/G
Map Grid of Australia Co-ordinate System
(Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994)
1 000500 0
Plan showing mine infrastructure
as at 31 December 2011
St Ives Gold Mine
Widgiemooltha
10
Argo U/G
Apollo
11
Diana
Athena U/G
West Idough
Hamlet
U/G
12
13
Junction
23 Belleisle U/G
22 Agamemnon
21 Agamemnon East
19 North Revenge Kapai
18 Revenge Grinder
17 Pluton
16 Thunderer/North Orchin
15 Britannia/Sirius
14 Leviathan
Paris
13. Brief history
The history of St Ives
Gold discovered at Kambalda “Red Hill camp”.
1897 – 1907:
Other gold-bearing locations, such as Victory, discovered with an estimated total production of 31 koz
mostly from the Red Hill group of mines.
1919:
New discovery led to construction of Ives Reward mine and small town in St Ives area.
1926:
Ives Reward mine closed having produced 10 koz of gold, town abandoned.
1966:
Iron-nickel sulphides discovered near the old Red Hill mine. WMC acquired ground and developed a
mining and milling operation. From 1966 to 1996 the Region produced approximately 34.0 Mt of ore at an
average grade of 3.1% nickel.
1970s:
Increase in gold price led to a re-evaluation of the old gold prospects in the Kambalda area.
1980:
Significant gold mineralisation identified beneath the Hunt nickel shoot.
1981:
iscovery of the Victory-Defiance complex (Leviathan area). Gold production commences at St Ives using
D
a 0.5 Mtpa treatment plant (later expanded to 1.2 Mtpa) located at the Kambalda Nickel Concentrator site.
1988:
New 3.1 Mtpa CIL facility constructed 25 kilometres south of Kambalda at St Ives.
2001:
2.0 Mtpa heap leach facility commissioned. St Ives acquired by Gold Fields Limited.
2004:
4.8 Mtpa Lefroy mill constructed and fully commissioned in early 2005.
2006:
Start of aggressive exploration programme with full field aircore drilling programme.
2007:
Start-up and establishment of Cave Rocks and Belleisle underground mines.
2008:
Initiation of mining new consolidated open pit: Leviathan.
2009:
Discovery of new Athena-Hamlet deposit.
2010:
Continued discovery growth of Hamlet deposit – plus 1 Moz Inferred Mineral Resource. Commencement
of Athena mine. First ore intersected May 2010.
2011:
Athena reached commercial level of production in September 2011. Hamlet development intersects first
ore in October 2011 as part of a new mine development programme.
Exploration drilling on Lake Lefroy
1897:
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
17
Satellite image of the Athena/Hamlet area
Increasing level of geoscientific knowledge and confidence
St Ives Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Classification
exploration
results
MINERAL
RESOURCES
MINERAL
RESERVES
63.3 Mt @ 2.6 g/t
5.3 Moz
37.9 Mt @ 2.3 g/t
2.8 Moz
Reported as in situ
mineralisation estimates
Reported as mineable
production estimates
INFERRED
11.8 Mt @ 3.2 g/t
1.2 Moz
INDICATED
PROBABLE
43.2 Mt @ 2.6 g/t
3.6 Moz
30.6 Mt @ 2.5 g/t
2.4 Moz
MEASURED
PROVED
8.3 Mt @ 1.9 g/t
0.5 Moz
7.3 Mt @ 1.7 g/t
0.4 Moz
Consideration of mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal,
environmental, social and governmental factors (the ‘modifying factors’)
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
18
Decline portal break away for underground mining
Notes
This Technical Short Form Report (“the Report”) contains information as at 31 December 2011 (“the Effective Date of this Report”). The
statements and information set out in this Report speak only as of the Effective Date of this Report. Shareholders and other interested and
affected parties are therefore urged to review all public disclosures made by Gold Fields after the Effective Date of this Report, as some of the
information contained in the Report may have changed or have been updated. Gold Fields does not undertake any obligation to update publicly
or release any revisions to statements and information set out in this Report to reflect events or circumstances after the Effective Date of this
Report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless obliged to do so pursuant to law or regulation. In such event, Gold Fields
does not undertake to refer back to any information contained in this Report.
19
“If we cannot mine safely, we
will not mine”
Gold Fields Safety Value
Registered Office South Africa:
150 Helen Road
Sandown
Sandton, 2196
Johannesburg
Gauteng
Private Bag X30500
Houghton, 2041
South Africa
Website: http://www.goldfields.co.za
Telephone: +27 (0) 11 562 9700
Facsimile: +27 (0) 11 562 9838
Gold Fields: St Ives Gold Mine – Technical Short Form Report 2011
1