Sally Malay sets production record

Nickel producer Sally Malay Mining has announced a month of record production at its namesake mine in the Kimberley ahead of the end to open-pit mining at the site next year.

Sally Malay managing director Peter Harold told the Australian Stock Exchange that it had achieved record contained metal production of 770 tonnes for the month of November.

This result was the highest for the project to date and 13 per cent above budget, he said. The previous record was 750 tonnes of nickel in October.

The project remains on track to produce over 8,700 tonnes of nickel for the 2005-06 year.

Three shipments from the mine are due to depart Wyndham Port in December.

In October, Mr Harold told WA Business News that a move from open-pit to underground mining in February next year would result in extra spare capacity at the miner's nickel processing plant. The plant is considered a state of the art nickel processor.