Search this website...

Tropicana, Australia

Tropicana comprises a series of open pits and an underground mine located 200km east of Sunrise Dam and 330km east-northeast of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

Tropicana comprises a series of open pits and an underground mine located 200km east of Sunrise Dam and 330km east-northeast of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

Ownership

70%

Mineral Reserve (attributable)

Stacked rocks [icon]
1.35Moz
of gold

Gold production

Production [icon]
313,000oz

All-in sustaining costs

Costs [icon]
$1,297/oz

Capital expenditure

Cashflow [icon]
$88m

Workforce

Worker [icon]
1,010

As at the year ended 31 December 2024

Overview and locality

Tropicana is a joint venture between AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd (70%), which manages the operation, and Regis Resources Ltd (30%).

Tropicana is a large open-pit operation, with a growing underground mining component, after development of the site’s first underground mine beneath the Boston Shaker pit in mid-2020. Open pit and underground mining are carried out by Macmahon under an alliance contract. Open pit mining uses conventional drill and blast and load and haul methods, while underground mining uses jumbo development and mechanised open stoping. Since start-up, ore has been sourced from the Tropicana, Havana, Havana South and Boston Shaker pits. The Boston Shaker pit is currently the main source of open cut ore while a major cutback of the Havana pit is carried out. Open pit material will be supplemented by approximately 1.2 Mtpa of ore mined from the Boston Shaker underground mine, and stockpiles.

The Tropicana processing plant achieved throughput capacity of between 8-9 Mtpa following several upgrades, including the installation of a second ball mill. The processing plant comprises a three-stage crushing circuit, inclusive of energy-efficient high-pressure grinding rolls, followed by conventional ball mill grinding and CIL recovery.

A brief history

  • Open pit mining began during 2012 with first gold produced in September 2013
  • After a positive feasibility study, underground mining began at Boston Shaker in 2019
  • Tropicana reached the 3Moz production milestone in the first quarter of 2020
  • First stoping in the Boston Shaker underground mine took place in June 2020 with the mine achieving commercial production in September 2020
  • On 22 April 2021, Regis Resources acquired IGO’s 30% stake in Tropicana
  • Ore production from the Tropicana underground mine began in 2022
  • The Havana underground mine was approved in 2024 and portal development began in September that year
  • Construction of a renewable energy facility, which began in the second half of 2023, was completed on schedule in early 2025. The facility will integrate 61MW of clean solar and wind energy into Tropicana’s existing gas fired power system, reducing the site’s diesel and gas consumption for power generation by 96% and 50% respectively, and slashing carbon emissions by more than 65,000t annually over the next decade

Related stories

Renewable energy to deliver reduced carbon emissions for Tropicana

Adapting and transitioning to clean energy to preserve our natural world for today and future generations is something we are committed to across AngloGold Ashanti.

Menopause friendly working conditions setting the bar in Australia

In August 2023, AngloGold Ashanti Australia partnered with Menopause Friendly Australia and committed to becoming a Menopause Friendly Employer as part of a broader Menopause, Menstruation, and Assisted Reproductive Treatment initiative.

Powering Sustainability: Tropicana's journey with hybrid renewable energy

AngloGold Ashanti commissioned an Independent Power Provider to construct and operate a 62 MW hybrid wind and solar facility, 330 km east-northeast of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

AngloGold Ashanti’s zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment

AngloGold Ashanti is committed to creating a working environment where our people feel supported and well equipped, mentally and physically, so that they can bring their best and most authentic self to work.

Strong Minds Strong Mines workshop, Australian operaitons
Australia understands how healthy minds lead to healthy mines

As part of its well-being strategy, AngloGold Ashanti Australia partnered with Strong Minds Strong Mines (SMSM) to provide a range of well-being initiatives for all Australia region employees in 2021.

In 2019, Tropicana fatigue management project was a finalist in the Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards
Tropicana implements programme to address sleep disorders

AngloGold Ashanti’s Tropicana gold mine in Australia rolled out a programme based on improving health, safety and productivity outcomes by identifying and supporting people with sleep disorders.

Autonomous drilling at Tropicana mine, Australia
Autonomous drill improves safety at Tropicana

In 2020, AngloGold Ashanti rolled out a $6 million autonomous drill fleet at Tropicana mine. It’s an industry first for hard rock mining and is making working practices safer and increasing operating efficiencies.

Tropicana mine employee at sunset, Australia
Strong Minds, Strong Mines

AngloGold Ashanti Australia rolled out the award-winning Strong Minds, Strong Mines (SMSM) programme across its sites in the second half of 2020 as part of its new Wellbeing@AGAA Strategy.

Top