Kimberley Stone

The Kimberley Colourstone quarry is situated at Kilto Station within Broome Shire, West Kimberley region, Western Australia. The site lies approximately 2,200 km north of Perth, placing it in one of Australia's most logistically isolated supply corridors. The terrain is characterised by ancient Proterozoic sedimentary formations that produce the distinctive banded, multi-tonal stone product. Seasonal wet-season access restrictions (November–April) critically constrain operational windows and inbound material supply chains.

The operation is classified as Operating (Dimension Stone) under the West Kimberley Mining Field. Historically placed under care-and-maintenance, the quarry has been reactivated by Broome-based operator Kimberley Stone. Given the remote location, workforce deployment relies on FIFO/DIDO rotational rosters, with personnel cycling through Broome as the nearest service hub. B2B procurement cycles must account for extended lead times on consumables, tooling, and mechanical parts due to the absence of proximate industrial supply nodes.

As a dimension stone quarry, the operation employs diamond wire saws, hydraulic splitters, and block-lifting gantries rather than conventional comminution circuits. There is no primary crushing mill or flotation plant on-site. Key engineering demands include:

• Diamond wire saw consumable management and tensioning systems
• Hydraulic block-handling and on-site trimming equipment
• Diesel power generation for all site electrical loads
• Sealed block storage yards to prevent surface weathering of product

Dimension stone extraction carries a comparatively low environmental disturbance footprint versus hard-rock metalliferous mining — no tailings facilities or process water circuits are required. However, ESG obligations under WA DMP include:

• Progressive rehabilitation of quarry benches and overburden stockpiles
• Dust suppression management in proximity to pastoral land (Kilto Station)
• Compliance with Aboriginal Heritage Act for site disturbance approvals
• Minimal water extraction footprint — critical in the semi-arid Kimberley context