[5] St Barbara spent A$30 million on the mine in the early 2000s on upgrading plant and developing its surface and underground operations.

[9] Some of the reasons for the closure were a poor mine plan and the inability of the company to raise necessary capital during the global financial crisis.

[16] At the end of 2009, Mercator was hopeful, that the sale of the mine to Meekatharra Gold Corporation, a company to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, should be finalised in 2010.

[17] After the Meekatharra Gold Corporation failed in its attempt to purchase the mine, it was sold to Reed Resources for A$26.7 million in January 2011.

The operations suffered from high cost, low grades and performance issues, eventually forcing the company into administration.