The mine has suffered a number of fatalities throughout its operation, most notably on 27 April 1977, when five employees were killed in one incident.

The mine was officially opened on 5 November 1978 by Charles Court, Premier of Western Australia.

In 1985, BP acquired the parent company of Western Selcast, Selection Trust, and therefore a 60 percent interest in the mine.

[5] The closure of the mine affected WMC Resources negatively as it reduced the throughput in its Kalgoorlie smelter.

With BP Australia and MIM Holdings willing to sell the mine and WMC being able through its other state assets to take a long-term approach to nickel mining in Western Australia, the mine was sold in late 1988, with BP's interest sold for an undisclosed amount while MIM Holdings sold theirs for A$120 million.

This decision is scheduled to be reviewed in February 2027 but BHP would continue to spend $450 million annually on its nickel operations to facilitate a potential restart.

[11] Production figures published by the company for the whole Nickel West Operations and not broken down to individual mines.

[18] The fatality of the five miners in 1977 resulted in a trail for manslaughter in the Kalgoorlie Supreme Court of four employees at the mine, the registered manager, the master shaft-sinker, an electrical engineer and a winder-driver.