Australia-based miner
BHP Billiton has announced that on October 31 a seismic event occurred at its Nickel West Leinster Perseverance Underground operation in Western
Australia.
Mining at Perseverance Underground has been temporarily suspended, while experts assess the impact on operations. The company's Nickel West operations at Mt Keith, Cliffs, Kalgoorlie, Kambalda and Kwinana were not affected by the seismic event and are currently operating as normal.
BHP Billiton stated that while Kwinana nickel refinery
production will be maintained in the short term, the temporary suspension of the Perseverance Underground operation is expected to result in a reduction of total saleable nickel
production at Nickel West in the December quarter of 2013.