The Kirkalocka Gold Mine is an active gold mine located 70 km south of Mount Magnet, Western Australia. The mine had been placed in care and maintenance in 2008[1][2] but reopened for a brief period between 2018 and 2021. The mine's owner, Adaman Resources, was placed into administration in May 2021.
Exploration at Kirkalocka has been carried out by a number of companies, including Sons of Gwalia, before Equigold Limited acquired the area in 2001.[2][3]
Equigold, after constructing a plant, commenced mining in September 2002. Over the next six years, the company extracted 307,621 ounces of gold from the deposit, at a grade of 1.52 g/t. Equigold finished mining in October 2005, and continued milling broken ore stockpiles until 14 August 2008.[4] The mine was placed in care and maintenance in September 2008.[2][5]
Equigold Limited sold the Kirkalocka tenements to Mount Magnet South NL in April 2008.[6] The Kirkalocka plant, with associated infrastructure, was acquired by Mount Magnet South in a separate transaction in March 2009.[7]
In November 2015, Kirkalocka was sold to Minjar Gold Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Shandong Tyan Home Co Ltd, a company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.[8][9][10][11]
The mine was purchased from Minjar Gold by a private company, Adaman Resources in 2017 for A$12 million.[12] Adaman recommenced mining in late 2018.[13] Adaman entered voluntary administration in May 2021, with the company believed to owe creditors more than A$100 million.[14] Administrators Cor Cordis announced a refinancing of the company in August 2021.[15]
