Fourth Quarter Activities Report

Document date:  Thu 30 Jul 1998
Published:  Thu 30 Jul 1998 00:00:00
Document No:  139621
Document part:  B
Market Flag:  Y
Classification:  

GREAT CENTRAL MINES LIMITED                   1998-07-30  ASX-SIGNAL-G

HOMEX - Melbourne                                                     

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OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT

Gold production during the quarter totalled 167,613 ounces at a 
cash operating costs of A$313.  Cash costs for the year were A$301 
per ounce compared with a cash operating cost of A$277 per ounce in 
the prior year.

Forecast production for the Company for 1998 - 99 is at least 
750,000 ounces at a cash cost of approximately $300 per ounce.

The production statistics are as follows:

                                      June 1998    Financial year
                                         QTR

BRONZEWING

Underground Mine Production       t    345,714         1,471,458
                                g/t       4.6                5.8

Ore Milled                       t    449,212          1,761,836
                                g/t       3.9                5.0

Recovery                         %       96.9               97.1

Gold Production                 ozs    54,062            272,524

Cash Operating Cost             A$/oz     285                256

JUNDEE - NIMARY

Open Pit Mine Production         t     686,158        3,606,237
                                g/t       3.22             2.71

Ore Milled                       t      716,165       2,872,315
                                g/t       3.73             3.32

Recovery                         %        95.3            95.4

Gold Production                 ozs     81,778         293,016

Cash Operating Cost            A$/oz     323              327


WILUNA

Underground Mine Production      t      130,240         366,753
                                g/t         8.0             8.2

Ore Milled                       t      161,939         401,410
                                g/t        7.73            8.25

Recovery                         %           80              83

Gold Production                  ozs     31,773          83,782

Cash Operating Cost            A$/oz        339             353

TOTALS

Gold Production Gold             ozs     167,613         649,322

Cash Operating Cost             A$/oz         31.3            301

BRONZEWING

Gold production at Bronzewing was affected by the closure of stope 
production during May 1998 within the Central Zone by the Department 
of Minerals & Energy after a fatality.  Subsequently stope production 
commenced at Discovery Deeps and normal stoping production recommenced
within the Central Zone.

Bronzewing underground production to date has totalled 2.3 million 
tonnes at a grade of 6.74 g/t gold and for the year 1.47 million 
tonnes at 5.8 g/t gold, compared with the current estimated reserve 
grade of 4.4 g/t gold.  Underground production at Bronzewing for 
1998/99 is scheduled at 1.7 million tonnes.

The recent upgrade at Bronzewing of the cyclones and installation of a
third Nelson concentrator has seen metallurgical recoveries for 
June-July 1998 average 98.2%.  The crushing and grinding circuits are 
now fully commissioned and operating at approximately 2 million tonnes
per annum.

JUNDEE-NIMARY

Open pit production at Jundee-Nimary was adversely affected by rain 
during June 1998.  Underground stoping production for the year 
totalled 70,000 tonnes with 35,000 tonnes at 5.2 g/t gold.  
Consolidation and integration of the Jundee-Nimary operation is now 
complete, resulting in a reduction in staffing levels and costs.

The operation has a combined milling capacity of 3 million tonnes per 
annum with the Nimary mill operating at 1 million tonnes per annum of 
hard ore.  It is planned to add a scats crusher and fine ore 
stockpile facility to the Nimary milling facility.  The Jundee mill 
will continue to process open pit oxide, transition and some fresh ore
at 2 million tonnes per annum.

Further re-optimisation in conjunction with additional pit perimeter 
drilling will be carried out over the next 6 months to determine the 
potential of large bulk scale deep open pit mining at Jundee-Nimary.

Gold production at Jundee has totalled 534,237 ounces since 
commencement of production from December 1995 with the milling of 6.1 
million tonnes at 2.8 g/t gold at a metallurgical recovery of 95.6%.  
This production is comparable to the initial ore reserve estimate on 
which development of the Jundee gold operation was based.

WILUNA

Gold production at Wiluna was similar to the March 1998 quarter, with 
cash operating costs at $339 per ounce a reduction of $27 per ounce on
the previous quarter.

Cemented backfill into Bulletin has commenced and will be completed in
the September 1998 quarter.  This cemented backfill will allow higher 
mining recoveries and improve ground stability.

more to follow







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