Australian mining giant slashes up to 70 jobs
- Source: Xinhua
- [11:05 August 25 2009]
- Comments
Australian mining giant BHP Billiton changes to achieve a more competitive site organization by slashing up to 70 jobs in a nickel mine, the company said Tuesday.
The mining giant announced up to 70 jobs would be cut at its Mount Keith operation in West Australia, according to Australian Associated Press' reports.
"Regrettably, these changes are likely to result in up to 70 job losses and some work realignment," the company said in a statement, adding that all BHP operations were continually under review.
The company said they would review and take appropriate action for any operation that is either cash negative or fail to sell what have been produced.
Nickel prices slumped early this year but have been steadily recovering and production rates at Mount Keith would be largely unchanged despite the job losses, said the company.
In May BHP announced it would mothball its Rocky's Rewards open-pit nickel operation at Leinster.
It announced a round of redundancies affecting 240 people, blaming deterioration in nickel prices for the closure of the mine.
In January BHP laid off 300 workers at the same mine which coincided with the announcement it would close its Ravensthorpe nickel mine, in south of West Australia.
Meanwhile it has flagged plans to sack about 6,000 employees globally.
