General Manager of Northparkes Mines Dr Craig Stegman has announced there are no plans to reduce the permanent workforce.

However, as a result of the current economic climate, Northparkes is minimising unnecessary expenditure.

‘Inevitably, the recent decline in world copper prices, by at least 50%, is having a real impact on Northparkes, especially as we continue to spend heavily on the development of our new E48 underground mine,’ Dr Stegman said.

‘To date, Northparkes has not reduced its permanent workforce and has no immediate plans to do so.

‘This is why some work that is not core business or urgent, such as the tailings dam construction, has been scaled back from a day/night operation to day shift only.

Dr Stegman also announced that exploration efforts have been reduced in the short term.

‘As part of normal project construction activities a large number of contracting companies are being utilised on short term contracts to ensure the timely and cost effective delivery of project components,’ Dr Stegman said.

‘Naturally, as each of these components is completed contractors are demobilised from site.

‘We thank these contractors for their support and efforts.

‘Over the next few months, as additional components are completed , other contractors will be progressively demobilised.

‘However, the project is far from complete and new contractor groups are being bought to the site to undertake work on the remaining project components.’