Pilbara Iron

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Pilbara Iron
Type
Founded 2004
Headquarters Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Industry Mining
Products Iron Ore
Employees 3850
Parent Rio Tinto
Website http://www.pilbarairon.com/
Hamersley Iron Alco C628 locomotive at 7 Mile Yard, Dampier, Western Australia.
Hamersley Iron Alco C628 locomotive at 7 Mile Yard, Dampier, Western Australia.

Pilbara Iron is a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational Rio Tinto Group, that manages assests for Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, and Robe River Iron Associates, an unincorporated joint venture between Rio (53% and operator since 2000) and three Japanese steel companies Mitsui Iron Ore Development P/L (33%), Nippon Steel Australia P/L (10.5%) and Sumitomo Metal Australia P/L (3.5%)[1]. They are involved in the mining of iron ore, predominantly from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In 2004, Rio Tinto announced that Robe and Hamersley would start merging operations under the new Pilbara Iron entity[2]. The concept had been tested by the formation of Pilbara Rail in 2001, which generated more than $16 million in savings. Pilbara Rail was folded into Pilbara Iron in 2005[3]. Each company continues to market products separately and retains ownership and profits from the underlying mines, as well as strategic development of their own mineral resources[4].

Contents

[edit] Current mine sites

Mine sites currently operating:

  • Hope Downs (2007)
  • Eastern Range (2004)
  • Nammuldi (2003)
  • West Angeles (2002)
  • Brockman (1992)
  • Yandicoogina (1998)
  • Mesa J (1994)
  • Marandoo (1994)
  • Brockman (1992)
  • Channar (1990)
  • Paraburdoo (1972)
  • Mount Tom Price (1966)

All iron ore mined at the sites is transported by one of the world's largest privately owned railroads to either the port of Dampier, Western Australia or Cape Lambert near Wickham, Western Australia. From there the ore is shipped across the world, with China and Japan the largest markets as of 2007[5]. Demand continues to be strong, with price increases and new infrastructure to raise production predicted for the next few years.[6][7]

[edit] Historical events

  • May 1967 - Hamersly Holdings Limited shares on the ASX
  • September 1973 - Hamersley Japan Limited incorporated
  • May 1974 - Hamersley Europe Pty. Limited incorporated

[edit] References

  1. ^ Robe River | About Robe accessed 1 October 2007
  2. ^ Rio Tinto and Robe River progress on Pilbara cooperation, 13 January 2004
  3. ^ “Farwell to Pilbara Rail”, Minera (Pilbara Iron) (no. 5): pp 20-21, April 2005, <http://pilbarairon.com/documents/Minera%20Issue%205%20-%20Final.pdf>. Retrieved on 1 October 2007 
  4. ^ Pilbara Iron - About Us accessed 1 October 2007
  5. ^ Pilbara Operations : Our Business
  6. ^ Brown, Justin (2007-09-06), “Rio Tinto digs deep to pile on output”, Business Report, <http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=&fArticleId=4020271>. Retrieved on 1 October 2007 
  7. ^ Ann, Tan Hwee & Yuan, Helen (2007-09-28), “Iron ore giants consider 30% price hike”, International Herald Tribune, <http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/27/bloomberg/bxiron.php>. Retrieved on 1 October 2007 

[edit] Further reading

  • Trengrove, Alan (1976) Adventure in iron / Hamersley's First Decade Melbourne, Stockwell Press. ISBN 0909316031 (Hamersley Chronology on end-pages)

[edit] See also

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