The Broken Hill Community
Community first
From the outset, the Broken Hill people have welcomed the Broken Hill Cobalt Project and shown solid support for the lifeline it provides to the future.
Not only will the Broken Hill Cobalt Project be large, but it will also be a long-life operation. We expect a project life of more than 20 years. That’s a generation of employment, for somewhere in the region of 400 workers. All of these, we aim to employ locally and avoid Fly-(n-Fly-Out (FIFO) workers wherever possible.
What’s more, those we can’t recruit from within the community, we want to recruit into the community. This means bringing entire families to Broken Hill – which means new housing, new opportunities for skills and training, and new demand for business, services and amenities.
Community news
ABC Radio Interview: Cobalt Blue Holdings Investment Relations/Commercial Manager discusses the ‘big picture’ for cobalt demand globally and the local perspective of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project.
In this interview with Andrew Schmidt on ABC Radio in Broken Hill, Joel Crane provides information on the global outlook for cobalt and the influence of international legislation. The strategy being deployed by Cobalt Blue is also discussed, covering the Broken Hill Cobalt Project and more recently announced Kwinana Cobalt Refinery in Western Australia.
Mining Careers On Show at the Broken Hill Careers Expo
Engagement with the Broken Hill community is fundamental to Cobalt Blue’s business strategy. Our attendance again this year at the Regional Development Australia Far West NSW - 2023 Broken Hill Careers Expo aimed at inspiring students to take another look at mining as a viable and sustainable career option.
Cobalt Blue Board Re-Visit Broken Hill, May 2023
In May 2023, the Cobalt Blue Board of Directors made their regular visit to Broken Hill to view the progress being made on-site at the Broken Hill Cobalt Project. Each year, while in Broken Hill, the Board meets with industry and community leaders in conjunction with the Community Open Day, which was held on 25th May this year
Cobalt Blue Holdings (COB) hosts a morning tea for charity Beyond Blue
Employees of COB and the Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP) joined forces to host a morning tea in May to raise awareness of mental health in the workplace. The chosen charity was Beyond Blue who offer free mental health support services Australia wide.
Broken Hill Community Open Day, 25th May 2023
We welcomed the local community through the gates of the Demonstration Plant in Broken Hill again this year. This is the third year running for this on-site event, which enables the community to meet our Board, senior executives, and members of our operational, administrative, and technical teams.
Family Fun at the Broken Hill Science Fair for Curious Minds
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is pleased to have joined other local organisations in supporting the inaugural Broken Hill Science Fair, which aimed to affirm the natural curiosity that children have about the world around them and encourage them to further explore science and technology.
Supporting the RFDS Women’s Auxiliary
The Royal Flying Doctor’s Service Women’s Auxiliary works tirelessly in Broken Hill and the region to support important causes that address community need. The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is pleased to support their fundraising efforts again this year, with a donation towards this year’s Ball.
Christmas arrives in Broken Hill, December 2022
Broken Hill Cobalt Project staff and families caught the Christmas spirit this year, participating in the annual Christmas Pageant on Saturday, 3rd December 2022. The Christmas Pageant and associated festivities are highlights of the Broken Hill community calendar, with the event bringing people of all ages into the historic CBD to welcome Christmas and Santa Claus to town.
Foundation Broken Hill Visits the Demonstration Plant
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project has engaged in a very positive, ongoing relationship with Foundation Broken Hill over recent years, with a common view to maximise community benefit arising from the Project. In October 2022, several Foundation Broken Hill representatives were taken on a tour of the Demonstration Plant at Pyrite Hill to experience first-hand the progress being achieved on-site.
Roy Butler MP Visits Pyrite Hill, October 2022
Roy Butler is the Member for Barwon, a vast north-west rural electorate of 356,292 square kilometres and the state's largest, covering 44.5% of New South Wales. In October 2022, he returned for a visit to the Broken Hill Cobalt Project Demonstration Plant, this time touring Pyrite Hill with our Demonstration Plant Manager, Adam Randall.
Broken Hill Cobalt Project AFL Club of the Year
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is pleased to announce support of AFL Broken Hill with the initiation of a Club of the Year prize, with sponsorship that aims to reward performance, pride, and commitment to developing the sport locally across junior, women and senior teams.
Sowing the seeds in community: Cobalt Blue supports disability services in Broken Hill
Our Broken Hill Cobalt Project team have proudly donated the resources to build a new residential garden bed in association with Westhaven, a local agency that provides important disability services and support for people in need in Broken Hill.
Lights, camera, action! Broken Hill Cobalt Project goes to the movies
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project is proud to have continued sponsoring the AGL Perfect Light Film Festival (PLFF) in 2022. This event was held over 3 days from 8th – 10th April, with the local community treated to a feature film night, short film event, and workshops involving experts from the Australian film industry
Media Release: Cobalt Blue Attends Landmark Meeting with Korean President to Discuss Ethical Supply of Cobalt
Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited (ASX:COB) participated in a critical minerals supply chain discussion with Korean President Moon Jae In and other senior Korean government officials, with a view to supplying ethical cobalt to Korea from its Broken Hill Cobalt Project.
Our commitment
Broken Hill is Australia’s longest-lived mining city and home to one of its most resilient mining communities.
Our vision
To build enduring relationships with the Broken Hill community, characterised by mutual commitment, openness, and shared respect.
Our objectives
To maintain a flow of communication that INFORMS the Broken Hill community about the mining of Cobalt and its value for the future.
To CONSULT in order to better understand what is important to the community.
To INVOLVE stakeholders in identifying issues and opportunities facing the community.
To COLLABORATE on projects that enhance the economic prosperity and social wellbeing of the community.
To EMPOWER the community through contributing towards employment, education, wellbeing, social vibrancy and economic diversification.
Our commitment
The Broken Hill Cobalt Project will be based on sustainable principles and best practice management for water, waste, and biodiversity.
We will work with the Broken Hill community and other stakeholders.
Our priority will be to employ locals and purchase locally wherever we can. We will invest wherever possible in developing local skills and training.
We aim to be here for the long haul – providing jobs and economic prosperity for the Broken Hill region, aligned to a green and sustainable future.
That’s why we’ve called this the Broken Hill Cobalt Project.
Broken Hill has a proud history of mining and innovation. Let’s work together to make history all over again.
Let’s take Broken Hill Cobalt to the World.
Book a tour of the Demonstration Plant
Located in Broken Hill, we are able to host tour groups for site visits to our innovative processing plant. To find out more, contact us.
How to become a supplier
We are proud to be supported by a network of suppliers and service providers who know the mining, building and industrial game locally and are assisting us in meeting our demanding timelines.
Careers at Cobalt Blue
Wherever possible, we will be looking local to attract, develop and retain a local workforce.