Pilbara Iron manages assets for Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, and Robe River Iron Associates, an unincorporated

joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acce ...

between Rio Tinto (53%) and Japanese steel companies Mitsui Iron Ore Development (33%) and

Nippon Steel (previously known as Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal until 2019) is Japan's largest steelmaker, headquartered in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company has four business segments, which are steelmaking, engineering, chemicals, and systems solu ...

(14%). All of these companies are involved in the

mining Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...

iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the f ...

, predominantly from the

Pilbara The Pilbara () is a large, dry, sparsely populated regions of Western Australia, region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people; wealth disparity; its ancient landscapes; the prevailing r ...

region of

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

. All of these companies are involved in the

, predominantly from the

region of

. In 2004, it was announced that Hamersley and Robe River would merge their operations as Pilbara Iron. 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. 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.Pilbara Iron – About Us
accessed 1 October 2007 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.

Current mine sites

Mine sites currently operating: All iron ore mined at the sites is transported on the

Hamersley & Robe River railway The Hamersley & Robe River railway, majority-owned by Rio Tinto, and operated by its subsidiary Pilbara Iron, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia for the purpose of carrying iron ore. The network is larger than ...

, one of the world's largest privately owned railways to Dampier and

Cape Lambert Cape Lambert is a port facility operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is located 40 kilometres north-east of Karratha.

. From there the ore is shipped across the world, with China and Japan the largest markets as of 2007.

Historical events

July 1962: Hamersley Holdings Pty Ltd is formed to develop deposits in the Hamersley Range. September 1962: Thomas Moore Price dies shortly after receiving news of the discovery of promising deposits at what would later be called Mount Tom Price. August 1963, Hamersley Holdings Pty Ltd, a subsidiary owned by Conzinc-Riotinto of Australia (60%) and

Kaiser Steel Kaiser Steel was a steel company and integrated steel mill near Fontana, California. Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser founded the company on December 1, 1941, and workers fired up the plant's first blast furnace, named "Big Bess" after Kaiser's ...

(40%), signed a 30-year agreement with the

Government of Western Australia The Government of Western Australia is the States and territories of Australia, Australian state democratic administrative authority of Western Australia. It is also commonly referred to as the WA Government or the Western Australian Governmen ...

for the development of iron ore leases held by the company and for the eventual establishment of an integrated iron and steel industry. The $175 million over 30 years program was established in anticipation of supplying iron ore to the Japanese steel industry. February 1964: a proposal is announced for Hamersley Iron to export 65 million tons over 15 years starting in 1967 to the Japanese steel industry. Reserves estimated at five billion tons of 50% to 66% by Kaiser Steel. Ten involved Japanese steel works cited in the ''Iron Age'' article. 1964: Japanese firms sign contract to buy five million tons from the Western Mining Corporation for $69 million with deliveries to start in 1966. January 1965: Hamersley Iron signed a contract to sell over a 15-year period starting in 1966 65.5 million tons at a price of $600 million. A 176-mile railway line and a port at King Bay for ore carriers up to 100,000 tons was to be constructed. Mount Goldsworthy Mining Associated, a joint venture of

Cyprus Mines Corporation The Cyprus Mines Corporation was an early twentieth century American mining company based in Cyprus. In 1914, Charles G. Gunther began prospecting in the Skouriotissa area after reading in ancient books that the island was rich in copper and noti ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Utah Construction Company The Utah Construction Company was a construction company founded by Edmund Orson Wattis Jr., Warren L. Wattis and William. H. Wattis in 1900. History The Wattis Brothers received funding from David Eccles, Thomas Dee, Joseph Clark and Jam ...

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

Consolidated Gold Fields Consolidated Gold Fields was a British gold-mining company. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index until it was acquired by Hanson in 1988. History Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa was fo ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, signed a $164 million contract for 16.5 million tons of Western Australia ore with Japanese buyers. Also a $60 million contract for pellets from

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

to Japan was signed at the time. Reported as an 82 million tons, $757 million over 17-year contract by ''International Commerce''. June 1965: Hamersley Iron agreed to sell 16 million tons of iron ore pellets to Japan at one million tons per year and planned to build a pelletizing plant at King Bay. August 1965: Hamersley agreed to sell to

Kobe Steel Kobe Steel, Ltd. (株式会社神戸製鋼所, ''Kabushiki gaisha Kōbe Seikō-sho'') is a major Japanese steel manufacturer headquartered in Chūō-ku, Kobe. Kobelco is the unified brand name of the Kobe Steel Group. Kobe Steel has the low ...

$16 million worth of low grade iron ore from Mount Tom Price bringing the total in sales contracts to $825 million. * May 1967 – Hamersley Holdings shares list on the

Australian Securities Exchange Australian Securities Exchange Ltd (ASX) is an Australian public company that operates Australia's primary Exchange (organized market), securities exchange, the Australian Securities Exchange (sometimes referred to outside of Australia as, or c ...

in the largest

initial public offering An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investm ...

in Australian history * May 1974 – Hamersley Europe Pty. Limited incorporated In June 1979, Kaiser Steel sold its 28% shareholding in Hamersley Holdings to Conzinc Riotinto for $207.5 million, bringing the Rio Tinto share of the company to 82%.CRA to buy Kaiser share of Hamersley Holdings
''Canberra Times'' 5 June 1979 page 19

Film ''Red Dog''

The film '' Red Dog'', based on stories about an actual wandering dog of the Pilbara region, was made at Hamersley Iron locations.

References

External links

Rio Tinto Iron Ore
Official website {{Authority control Mining companies of Australia Companies based in Perth, Western Australia Pilbara Rio Tinto Iron Ore

Current mine sites

Historical events

Film ''Red Dog''

See also

References

External links