Northparkes

A leading practice organisation focusing on operational excellence

Northparkes Mines is a copper-gold mine located at Goonumbla, 27 kilometres north/north west of the town of Parkes in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. The operation comprises two open pits and an underground mine which was the first in Australia to use the block cave mining method.

The mines, which are a joint venture between Rio Tinto (80 per cent) and the Sumitomo Group (20 per cent), produce high grade copper-gold concentrate which is shipped to international smelters for processing. 

The operations employ 250 people full time, along with approximately 250 contracted employees working on the site at any one time.

Northparkes Mines occupies a total 6,000 hectares of land, which includes the mining lease of 1,630 hectares.  Part of the remaining land is operated as a 'no-till' farm which is managed by the mine and produces crops including wheat, barely, canola and legumes.

Due to its modest size, its positive employee culture and its success in developing innovative technologies, Northparkes Mines is an ideal Centre of Innovation for the trialling of projects that can be leveraged at larger businesses within Rio Tinto.