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Minesites Directory

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Page 32 of 147 (3508 total)
Kwinana Nickel Refinery

Western Australia, Australia · Processing Facility

Operating
Nickel
Opened
1970-01-01
Overview
The Kwinana Nickel Refinery is located approximately 30 kilometres south of Perth. It refines granulated nickel matte from the Kalgoorlie smelter into premium-grade nickel products, including powder and briquettes containing 99.8% nickel.
Processing
hydrometallurgical ammonia-leach process, nickel sulphate plant
Equipment
Sherritt Gordon hydrometallurgical ammonia-leach process, nickel sulphate plant with leaching tanks, purification technology, crystalliser, and dryer
Expansion
Houses a nickel sulphate plant, the first of its kind in Australia, producing nickel sulphate for the battery market. Temporary suspension of Nickel West operations commencing in October 2024, with a review planned by February 2027.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Mt Keith mine

Western Australia, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Nickel
Opened
1995-01-01
Overview
The Mt Keith mine is a large open-pit operation located 85 kilometres north of Wiluna, utilising a conventional open-pit, truck-and-shovel method. Ore from the Mt Keith open-pit and its satellite mine, Yakabindie, is crushed and processed on-site to produce nickel concentrate.
Production
Mt Keith concentrator capacity expanding from 10.5 Mtpa to 15 Mtpa
Processing
crushing and on-site processing to produce nickel concentrate
Equipment
Liebherr 9600 and 9400 excavators, 50t and 30t excavators, 50t articulated dump trucks, Cat D9 and D10 dozers, 14m Cat graders, 15t rollers, 988 Cat loaders, 45t articulated water carts, new 16MW SAG mill
Expansion
The Mt Keith concentrator has been undergoing an expansion to increase its ore treating capacity from 10.5 Mtpa to 15Mtpa, including the installation of a new, larger semi-autogenous (SAG) mill. Temporary suspension of Nickel West operations commencing in October 2024, with a review planned by February 2027.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Leinster mine

Western Australia, Australia · Underground

Operating
Nickel
Opened
1978-01-01
Workforce
nearly 3,500 workers (at peak, prior to suspension)
Overview
The Leinster mine is located approximately 375 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie. The complex includes underground operations such as the Venus sub-level caving operation and the B11 block caving operation. Nickel sulphide ore from the Cliffs and Leinster underground mines is processed through a concentrator and dryer at Leinster.
Production
Leinster concentrator has an operating capacity of three million tonnes of ore per year.
Processing
concentrator and dryer
Equipment
sub-level caving and block caving methods, Thiess provided underground mining services (2015-2020) including mine planning, load and haul, and drill and blast operations
Expansion
B11 block caving operation became fully operational in 2023 and is expected to be a significant source of ore for approximately seven years. Temporary suspension of Nickel West operations commencing in October 2024, with a review planned by February 2027.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Samarco

Minas Gerais, Brazil · Open Pit

Operating
Iron Ore
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2025Iron Ore-15.1 Mt
2024Iron Ore-9.7 Mt
2021Iron Ore-7.87 Mt
Opened
1977-01-01
Capex (est.)
USD 2.80B
Workforce
around 16,300 direct and contracted employees
Production
Production overview - 2025: iron ore 15.1 Mt; 2024: iron ore 9.7 Mt.
Processing
The company uses a new filtration system that allows for the dry stacking of 80% of the generated tailings, with the remaining 20% deposited in a confined pit. This system is part of a move away from the use of dams for tailings. The integrated system includes mining, beneficiation, slurry transport via pipelines, pelletising, and shipment. The Germano Complex has two operating concentrators and a tailings disposal system, while the Ubu Complex has pellet plants and port facilities.
Expansion
Samarco is undergoing a gradual resumption of its activities with the goal of reaching 100% of its production capacity by 2028. The company is currently operating at 60% of its installed capacity. An investment of up to $2.8 billion is planned to restore full capacity. The company concluded its bankruptcy protection process. A definitive settlement was reached in October 2024 in connection with the 2015 Fundão tailings dam collapse.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • BHP Brasil
  • Vale S.A.
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Jansen Potash Project

Saskatchewan, Canada · Underground

Under Development
Potassium
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2021Potassium24.9 %1070000000 t
Mine life
100 years
Capex (est.)
USD 13.30B
Workforce
Approximately 3,500 jobs during construction and over 600 direct jobs once operational.
Production
Production overview - 2021: potassium 1070000000 t.
Processing
The processing method involves crushing the ore to separate potassium chloride and sodium chloride crystals. This is followed by scrubbing, conditioning, flotation, and de-brining to produce the final saleable product. The processing plant will also feature separate fine and coarse flotation with on-stream analysis and crystallisation to recover fine potash from waste streams.
Equipment
The mine will use large borers for ore extraction. The mining system includes Sandvik MF460 borer miners and a PO140 extendable belt continuous haulage system. The underground fleet will also feature battery electric LHDs from Sandvik. For hoisting, the project will have three friction hoists and a Blair service hoist system from ABB, with one production hoist designed to be the largest in the world with a payload capacity of 75 metric tons.
Expansion
As of January 2026, the Jansen Stage 1 project is 75% complete. The total investment estimate for Stage 1 has been increased to US$8.4 billion. BHP has also approved a US$4.9 billion investment for Stage 2 of the project. The project is located approximately 140 kilometres east of Saskatoon.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Cerro Colorado Mine

Tarapacá Region, Chile · Open Pit

Care And Maintenance
Copper
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2024Copper-11000 t
2023Copper-49000 t
2019Copper-71700 t
2018Copper-63000 t
2017Copper-65000 t
2016Copper-77000 t
2015Copper-78000 t
2008Copper-106400 t
Capex (est.)
USD 1.30B
Workforce
1,038 direct employees and 1,320 contractors (2018).
Production
Production overview - 2024: copper 11000 t; 2023: copper 49000 t.
Processing
The mine's facilities include primary, secondary, and tertiary crushers, leaching pads, and solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX-EW) plants to produce copper cathodes.
Expansion
Cerro Colorado entered a period of temporary care and maintenance in December 2023. BHP is actively evaluating a restart of operations, potentially by 2028, with a final investment decision anticipated in 2028. The company has submitted a US$60 million plan for studies, including drilling, to define access to sulfide resources. The broader restart project is estimated to involve investments between US$1.3 billion and US$3.2 billion. The goal is to achieve average annual production of 85,000-100,000 tonnes of copper, with a potential peak of 145,000 tonnes per year. The restart plans involve the use of seawater and the application of novel leaching technologies, such as supergene leaching, to process the mine's substantial underlying resource base. The mine has an Inferred Resource of 1,700 Mt at a grade of 0.36% copper.
Water sources
Desalination
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Spence Mine

Antofagasta Region, Chile · Open Pit

Operating
CopperMolybdenum
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2025Copper-268000 t
2024Copper0.88 %255000 t
2023Copper-240000 t
2020Molybdenum-4000 t
2009Copper-172685 t
2008Copper-142700 t
2007Copper1.24 %-
Opened
2006-01-01
End year
2039
Mine life
50 years
Capex (est.)
USD 5.46B
Autonomous haulage
Yes
Workforce
around 4,000 people
Overview
Spence production increased 5% to a record 268 kt in fiscal year 2025. For fiscal year 2024, production was a record 255 kt, driven by improved concentrator throughput and increases in both concentrator feed grade and recoveries. The concentrator feed grade for FY2024 was 0.88%. In fiscal year 2023, the mine produced 240,000 t of copper.
Production
Production overview - 2025: copper 268000 t; 2024: copper 255000 t.
Processing
The mine processes ore via both leaching and concentrator flow sheets. Oxide and lower-grade sulphide ores are sent to leach pads and an SX-EW plant for cathode production, while sulphide ore goes to a concentrator to produce copper and molybdenum concentrates. The concentrator has a nominal ore throughput capacity of 95 ktpd. A project is underway to enable the mine to operate with 'Full SaL' technology, which involves processing ore with new salt concentrations. The company is also looking at extending cathode production life through SaL2 technology.
Equipment
The mine operates with a fully autonomous fleet of haul trucks and autonomous drills.
Expansion
The Spence Growth Option (SGO) project, Spence Operational Adequacy project, Full SaL technology, SaL2 technology.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Escondida

Atacama Desert, Chile · Open Pit

Operating
Copper
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Caval Ridge Mine

Queensland, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Coal
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Coal-9.36 Mt
2022Coal-3.9 Mt
Opened
2014-01-01
End year
2044
Mine life
30 years
Autonomous haulage
No
Workforce
approximately 1,500
Overview
Caval Ridge is a large Bowen Basin metallurgical coal operation in Queensland held within the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, the 50:50 joint venture between BHP and Mitsubishi Development. The mine produces steelmaking coal for global export markets and is one of BMA’s key Queensland assets. BHP reported FY2025 saleable production of 3,526 kilotonnes on a BHP interest basis from Caval Ridge. The mine has also secured approval for the Horse Pit Extension, which extends the approved mine life into the 2060s. Caval Ridge remains an important component of BMA’s integrated Bowen Basin production and infrastructure network serving international steel industry customers.
Production
Production overview - 2023: coal 9.36 Mt; 2022: coal 3.9 Mt.
Processing
The mine includes a Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP) with a design capacity of 2,400 tonnes per hour. The plant processes coal from both the Caval Ridge Mine and the neighbouring Peak Downs Mine, with the latter's coal transported via an overland conveyor. The CHPP utilises a single-stage process with dense medium cyclones, spirals, and flotation circuits. The plant has a feed rate capacity of 2,750 tonnes per hour through two modules.
Equipment
The mining operations at Caval Ridge utilise a conventional dragline excavator and a fleet of trucks and shovels for overburden removal. The equipment includes: Drills (Sandvik PV235 and Atlas Copco D90KS) Draglines (Marion 8050) Shovels (CAT 7495) Excavators (600-tonne) A contractor, Thiess, has mobilised four 600-tonne Liebherr 996B excavators and an 800-tonne Liebherr 9800 excavator, supported by Caterpillar 793 and 797 trucks.
Expansion
A proposed "Horse Pit Extension" aims to extend the mine's life from the 2030s to the 2050s. This extension would involve extending the existing Horse Pit in an easterly direction. The project is expected to produce up to 15 million tonnes per annum of hard coking coal for the export market.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • Mitsubishi Development
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Peak Downs Mine

Queensland, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Coal
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Coal-10960000 t
2019Coal-11.8 Mt
Opened
1972-01-01
Capex (est.)
USD 2.00B
Workforce
The Peak Downs Mine Continuation Project is expected to provide for 2,400 operational jobs.
Overview
The Peak Downs Mine Continuation Project aims to continue production at a rate of up to 18 million tonnes of product coal per year.
Production
Production overview - 2023: coal 10960000 t; 2019: coal 11.8 Mt.
Processing
The run-of-mine coal is processed at an on-site coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP). Approximately 2.5 million tonnes per year of run-of-mine coal is also transported via an 11km overland conveyor to the CHPP at the nearby Caval Ridge mine.
Equipment
The mining fleet includes draglines, trucks, and shovels. Specific equipment mentioned includes Liebherr 996B and 9800 excavators, and Caterpillar 793 and 797 trucks. Five Liebherr T 282 C ultra-class trucks were also added to the fleet.
Expansion
The Peak Downs Mine Continuation Project is a significant expansion of the existing open-cut mine. This project is in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) phase and proposes to extend the mine life by approximately 93 years, producing up to 18 million tonnes of product coal annually. The project will involve the development of new supporting infrastructure and the relocation of some existing regional infrastructure.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • Mitsubishi Development
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Broadmeadow Mine

Queensland, Australia · Underground

Operating
Coal
Opened
2005-01-01
Mine life
70 years
Overview
The Broadmeadow mine is part of the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) assets in the Bowen Basin. The company is operating at slower mining rates to safely manage geotechnical characteristics of the current longwall panel, which is expected to continue into Q1 FY2026. Production guidance for FY2025 was impacted by significant wet weather and geotechnical challenges. FY2024 production from BMA was impacted by an extended longwall move and geotechnical issues at Broadmeadow.
Production
For the 2024-2025 financial year, BMA has set a production target of 33 million to 38 million tonnes (accounting for the sale of Blackwater and Daunia mines). In the 2023-2024 financial year, BMA produced 44.6 million tonnes of coal.
Processing
Coal from the mine is processed jointly with coal from the Goonyella Riverside open-cut operation at two coal processing plants where mined coal is sorted, washed and blended. Impurities are removed through washing and treatment at a coal handling and preparation plant.
Equipment
longwall shearer, conveyor belt, coal handling and preparation plant, longwall top coal caving method, new conveyor infrastructure
Expansion
new conveyor infrastructure was installed to replace shuttle cars and diesel ram cars for transporting coal from the face
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • Mitsubishi Development
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Goonyella Riverside Mine

Queensland, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Coal
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Coal-15.15 Mt
2019Coal-17.1 Mt
2018Coal-15.9 Mt
2012Coal-12.4 Mt
Opened
1971-01-01
End year
2041
Mine life
70 years
Autonomous haulage
Yes
Workforce
Quarterly worker numbers for Goonyella Riverside Mine have been recorded by Resources Safety and Health Queensland at 2,087, 1,914 and 1,748.
Overview
The Goonyella Riverside Mine is a large open-cut metallurgical coal mine in the Bowen Basin, located approximately 30 kilometres north of Moranbah, Queensland. It is operated by BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), a 50:50 joint venture between BHP and Mitsubishi Development. The operation commenced in 1971 as the Goonyella mine, which later merged with the adjacent Riverside mine in 1989. The mine targets the Goonyella Upper, Middle, and Lower Seams of the Moranbah Coal Measures. The coal is known for its high-quality coking characteristics. As of early 2022, the site was expected to have up to 86 autonomous haul trucks in operation. The mine complex includes two coal processing plants where the coal is crushed, washed, and blended. The final product is transported via the Goonyella railway line to the Hay Point Coal Terminal for export.
Production
Production overview - 2023: coal 15.15 Mt.
Processing
The mine has two coal handling and preparation plants. The run-of-the-mine coal is crushed to less than 50mm. A process of dense medium separation and column flotation is used to produce the final fine coal products.
Equipment
The transition to a fully autonomous haul truck fleet was a key development, with up to 86 Komatsu trucks to be automated by early 2022. An older equipment list included Marion 8050, BE 1370, and BE 1350 draglines; Liebherr R 9800 and Terex O&K RH 170 excavators; P&H4100XPB and P&H4100A shovels; Cat 994 front-end loaders; and a haul truck fleet including Komatsu 930E, Cat 793, and Cat 784 models. A mining services contractor, BUMA Australia, has been providing services since 2022, utilising 600t and 800t excavators and trucks.
Network
Fiber Optic BackboneWi-Fi Mesh (Kinetic)
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • Mitsubishi Development
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Mt Arthur Coal

New South Wales, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Coal
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Coal-14200000 t
Opened
2002-01-01
End year
2030
Workforce
2200 (as of June 2024)
Production
Production overview - 2023: coal 14200000 t.
Processing
The mined coal is transported by truck to the on-site Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP). The CHPP is approved to process up to 36 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of run-of-mine (ROM) coal. The process involves crushing, screening, cleaning, and sorting. The CHPP is equipped with two hoppers, a crushing station, and a conveyor system. Some coal seams are of sufficient quality to only require crushing, which is handled by an internal bypass system.
Equipment
The mining equipment includes large trucks, shovels, excavators, dozers, graders, drills, and water carts. A multi-bench multi-strip shovel and excavator operation is utilised.
Expansion
In June 2022, BHP announced it would seek approvals to continue mining at Mt Arthur Coal beyond its current consent, which expires in 2026, and proceed with a managed process to cease mining by the end of the 2030 financial year. A modification to the project approval was sought to allow for this four-year extension. This modification includes a reduction in the cumulative open cut and underground ROM coal handling rate from 36 Mtpa to 29 Mtpa, and a reduction in maximum total coal rail transportation from 27 Mtpa to 20 Mtpa. There will be an overall reduction of 387 hectares in the approved disturbance area.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Olympic Dam

South Australia, Australia · Underground

Operating
CopperGold
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Copper-212000 t
2023Gold-186000 oz
Opened
1988-01-01
Overview
Olympic Dam is a fully integrated metallurgical complex operating as an underground mine in South Australia. It processes copper, uranium, gold, and silver, and includes a grinding and concentrating circuit, hydrometallurgical plant, copper smelter, and refinery. Recent developments include the integration of Prominent Hill and Carrapateena concentrates, leading to record production in FY2024, and ongoing investments in underground infrastructure and smelter performance.
Production
Production overview - 2023: copper 212000 t, gold 186000 oz.
Processing
The mine operates as a fully integrated metallurgical complex. The process includes an underground automated train system to haul ore, a grinding and concentrating circuit, and a hydrometallurgical plant with solvent extraction for copper and uranium. It also features a copper smelter, a copper refinery, and a recovery circuit for precious metals.
Equipment
The underground mine is equipped with an automated train system for hauling ore. As part of recent investments, the underground electric rail network is being expanded from 4.85 kilometres to over 6 kilometres, supported by six new locomotives.
Expansion
BHP is investing over A$840 million in several projects to enhance productivity. Key projects include: A new underground access tunnel, known as a decline, into the Southern Mine Area; a new backfill system; an expansion of ore pass capacity; and the installation of a new oxygen plant. A major expansion of the smelter and refinery is also under consideration, with a final investment decision for the first phase anticipated in the first half of the 2027 fiscal year (shifted from 2027 to 2028).
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Cliffs underground mine

Western Australia, Australia · Underground

Care And Maintenance
NickelCobalt
Opened
2008-01-01
Overview
The Cliffs underground mine is part of BHP's Nickel West operations. The primary commodity is nickel, with cobalt also mined. The mine was temporarily suspended from October 2024 due to an oversupply in the global nickel market.
Processing
Nickel sulphide ore is mined underground and then transported by road to the Leinster facility for processing through a concentrator and dryer.
Expansion
Development of a new roadway to connect the northern and southern mining areas at depth to improve ventilation and provide an exploration platform.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Leinster Nickel Mine

Western Australia, Australia · Underground

Care And Maintenance
Nickel
Opened
1978-01-01
Workforce
The average population for the Leinster township and operations was 1,000 people, which has reduced to a maximum of 350 since the transition to temporary suspension.
Production
Production figures are not broken down by individual mine and are for the entire Nickel West operations. In the 2022-23 financial year, Nickel West produced 80,000 tonnes of nickel.
Processing
The Leinster Nickel Mine has a concentrator plant. Nickel sulphide ore is mined and processed through the concentrator and a dryer at Leinster. The three streams of concentrate from Nickel West's operations feed the Kalgoorlie nickel smelter, which produces nickel matte. This is then converted into nickel powder, briquettes, and nickel sulphate at the Kwinana nickel refinery.
Expansion
BHP announced that the Nickel West operations, including the Leinster mine, will be temporarily suspended from October 2024 due to an oversupply in the global nickel market. A decision on the future of the operations is expected to be reviewed by February 2027. The transition to this temporary suspension began in July 2024, with operations to be suspended in October 2024 and handover activities for the suspension to be completed by December 2024. As of 2022, mining at Leinster was occurring at the Camelot open-pit and the Venus and B11 underground operations.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Mt Keith Nickel Mine

Western Australia, Australia · Open Pit

Care And Maintenance
Nickel
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2024Nickel0.58 %-
2023Nickel16.8 %43800 t
2022Nickel16.7 %42700 t
2004Nickel0.57 %43076 t
Opened
1995-01-01
Workforce
1,071 (2008)
Overview
The Mt Keith Nickel Mine is an open pit operation in Western Australia, owned 100% by BHP Group. It produces nickel, cobalt, and copper. The mine is transitioning to care and maintenance from October 2024 due to global oversupply, with a review planned by February 2027.
Production
Production overview - 2023: nickel 43800 t.
Processing
The Mt Keith operation has an on-site concentrator with a nominal capacity of 11 million tonnes per annum. The process involves conventional crushing, semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) and ball milling, separation, flotation, and thickening to produce nickel concentrate. Disseminated sulphide ore is mined and processed on-site. Nickel concentrate is transported by road to the Leinster operations for drying and blending before being sent to the Kalgoorlie smelter.
Equipment
Truck and shovel fleet. The concentrator includes semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) and ball mills. A debottlenecking project was initiated to add a new SAG mill circuit to process harder ore from satellite deposits.
Expansion
The Mt Keith Satellite (Yakabindie) project, which includes the Six Mile Well and Goliath open pits, began contributing ore in late 2019 to extend the life of the Mt Keith operations. A debottlenecking project was undertaken to add a second SAG mill to handle harder ore from the satellite deposits.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Yandi

Western Australia, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Iron Ore
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2021Iron Ore-68 Mt
Opened
1991-01-01
End year
2026
Mine life
35 years
Workforce
Approximately 850 workers, including 650 direct employees and 200 contractors, are affected by the scaling down of operations as of October 2025. Another report from the same time mentioned about 600 staff and 150 contractors.
Overview
Winding down operations. Operations are being scaled back through 2026 before ceasing altogether due to the depletion of the ore body. The ramp-down of production and decommissioning of infrastructure began in July 2021.
Production
Production overview - 2021: iron ore 68 Mt.
Processing
Ore is processed on-site where it is crushed, and beneficiated if necessary. It is then blended to create high-grade hematite lump and fines products. The processing facilities include multiple crushers and ore handling plants.
Equipment
In August 2024, a Liebherr R 9400 E electric excavator became operational at the mine.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • Mitsui & Co.
  • ITOCHU Corporation
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South Flank

Western Australia, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Iron Ore
End year
2046
Mine life
25 years
Capex (est.)
USD 3.60B
Autonomous haulage
Yes
Workforce
600
Overview
South Flank is Australia's largest new iron ore mine in over 50 years, forming one of the world's largest iron ore hubs with Mining Area C. It commenced operations in May 2021, exceeding its 80 Mt/year nameplate capacity in FY2025. The high-grade ore aims to increase BHP's WAIO average iron ore grade. It created 9,000 jobs during construction and supports 600 operational roles, replacing production from the Yandi mine.
Production
80 million tonnes per year nameplate capacity
Processing
The project includes an 80-million-tonne-per-year crushing and screening plant, an overland conveyor system, stockyard and train loading facilities.
Equipment
The mine integrates advances in autonomous-ready fleets and digital connectivity. The deployment of autonomous haul trucks was completed in May 2023.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • Mitsui Iron Ore Corporation Pty Ltd
  • ITOCHU Minerals and Energy of Australia Pty Ltd
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Mining Area C

Western Australia, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Iron Ore
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Iron Ore-36.1 Mt
Opened
2003-01-01
End year
2050
Workforce
4,103
Overview
Mining Area C is located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, approximately 120 kilometres north-west of Newman. It is part of BHP's Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) operations. The mine consists of eight open-cut mines, three ore handling plants, and one train load-out facility. Ore is transported via a 39-kilometre spur line to the main railway that connects to the port facilities at Port Hedland. Mining Area C is integrated with the newer South Flank mine to form the 'Central Pilbara hub', which is the largest operating iron ore hub in the world with a combined production capacity of 145 million tonnes per year.
Production
Production overview - 2023: iron ore 36.1 Mt.
Processing
The processing at Mining Area C involves crushing the iron ore before it is transported. The facility includes three ore handling plants.
Expansion
BHP is focused on increasing productivity at its WAIO operations, with the ramp-up of the Central Pilbara hub being a key component. The company is also progressing with the tie-in of its Port Debottlenecking Project 1 and Rail Technology Programme to further enhance capacity. A significant amendment to the Mining Area C – Southern Flank operations was proposed in March 2025, involving increased dewatering and an expansion of the development envelope to extend the project life until 2073.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • ITOCHU Corporation
  • Mitsui Iron
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Jimblebar

Western Australia, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Iron Ore
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Iron Ore-66801 kt
Opened
1989-01-01
Mine life
46 years
Capex (est.)
USD 500.00M
Autonomous haulage
Yes
Workforce
up to 120 personnel
Production
Production overview - 2023: iron ore 66801 kt.
Processing
two-stage crushing circuit, deslime plant, wet screens, desliming cyclones, belt filtration, tailings thickening and disposal
Equipment
autonomous haul truck fleet, Caterpillar's Cat Dynamic Energy Transfer (DET) system, CAT 793 battery-electric and diesel-electric mining trucks
Expansion
NRW Civil & Mining development works ($109 million contract, scheduled completion Q2 2026); Jimblebar Hub Combined Proposal (merging Jimblebar Iron Ore Revised Proposal, Orebody 18, and Orebody 31); Jimblebar Beneficiation Project (new beneficiation plant, main construction and commissioning Q3 2025 to Q3 2027, estimated capex $500 million - $1 billion)
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • Mitsui & Co.
  • ITOCHU Corporation
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Saraji South

Queensland, Australia · Open Pit

Care And Maintenance
Coal
Opened
1974-01-01
Workforce
72 workers to be directly affected at Saraji South.
Overview
The Saraji South portion of the Saraji Mine complex will be placed into a period of care and maintenance from November 2025 due to market conditions and Queensland Government coal royalties.
Companies & ownership
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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Newman Operations

Western Australia, Australia · Open Pit

Operating
Iron Ore
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2023Iron Ore-78 Mt
Opened
1968-01-01
Mine life
31 years
Capex (est.)
USD 943.00M
Autonomous haulage
Yes
Overview
BHP's Newman Operations are a key component of its Western Australian Iron Ore (WAIO) business. The operations consist of two main sites: Newman East (formerly Eastern Ridge) and Newman West (formerly Mount Whaleback). The Mount Whaleback mine, which commenced operations in 1968, is the world's largest single-pit iron ore mine. Ore from the Newman Operations is transported by rail to Port Hedland for export.
Production
Production overview - 2023: iron ore 78 Mt.
Processing
The Newman Operations serve as a central processing hub. This includes three primary crushers and three ore handling plants, one of which is the Whaleback Beneficiation Plant. At Orebody 25, the processing infrastructure includes a primary and secondary crusher, and a screening plant.
Equipment
The Newman East site has transitioned to a fully autonomous haul truck fleet, utilising CAT 793 haul trucks.
Expansion
BHP is advancing the Western Ridge Crusher Project, a significant development to sustain production at the Newman Operations. This project is expected to replace production from depleting orebodies. The Western Ridge development is projected to have a life of 31 years and will involve the mining of four iron ore deposits. The crusher project is expected to deliver an average of 25 million tonnes per annum over approximately 12 years, with first production anticipated in the first quarter of the 2027 financial year. The total investment in the Western Ridge Crusher Project is expected to be US$943 million.
Companies & ownership
  • Mitsui & Co.
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
  • ITOCHU Corporation
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Samarco

Minas Gerais, Brazil · Open Pit

Operating
Iron Ore
Commodities, grades and output
YearCommodityAv. GradeOutput
2025Iron Ore-15.11 Mt
2024Iron Ore-9.7 Mt
2023Iron Ore-9.4 Mt
2022Iron Ore-8.1 Mt
2021Iron Ore65 %7.87 Mt
Opened
1977-01-01
Workforce
Approximately 20,500 (including direct and contract workers) as of early 2026.
Production
Production overview - 2025: iron ore 15.11 Mt; 2024: iron ore 9.7 Mt.
Processing
The processing method involves an integrated system of mining, beneficiation at concentrators, slurry transport via pipelines to pelletising plants, and shipment from the port. A new filtration system has been implemented which allows for 80% of the generated tailings to be dry stacked, with the remainder deposited in a confined pit, enabling operations without the use of a conventional tailings dam.
Expansion
Samarco is undergoing a gradual restart of operations with the goal of reaching 100% of its production capacity by 2028. The restart of a second concentrator was expected in the first quarter of calendar year 2025, which would increase production capacity to 60%. As of December 2025, volumes were reported to have risen following the restart of the second concentrator. The company plans to invest to lift production capacity to approximately 26 million tonnes per annum (100% basis) through the staged recommissioning of remaining infrastructure during calendar years 2028 and 2029.
Companies & ownership
  • Vale S.A.
  • BHP Group
    ASX:BHP
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