BHP has agreed to sell its idled Kambalda Nickel Concentrator (KNC), along with a package of tenements and mineralisation rights, to Gold Fields, in a deal that hands the Western Australian plant to a gold miner already operating in the region.
Under agreements announced on October 7, completion is expected during calendar year 2027, subject to conditions including regulatory approvals. BHP said the financial terms are confidential.
Gold Fields said it would assess the assets, including the concentrator’s long-term use for gold and nickel processing, and engage Traditional Owners, government, local communities and industry partners.
“These are highly strategic assets located in a region where we have operated and invested for many years, and we see significant potential to explore future opportunities,” Gold Fields senior vice president of operations for Australia Craig Bradshaw said.
Gold Fields said gold production remained its core focus, with “no changes to our operations or workforce as a result of this acquisition”.
It operates the St Ives mine near Kambalda and three other gold mines in Western Australia’s eastern Goldfields.
BHP suspended its WA Nickel assets in July 2024, citing “oversupply in the global nickel market”.
The remaining assets, including the refinery, smelter and mines, stay suspended, and BHP intends to review that decision by February 2027, assessing divestment, continued suspension, restart or closure.
BHP vice president WA Nickel Annabelle Blom called the sale “a positive outcome” that “provides certainty for our employees, the Goldfields region and the local community”.
“The review process continues and we remain committed to engaging closely with our people and communities to keep them informed of progress and decisions,” she said.