Mineral Resources (MinRes) will cease Yilgarn Hub iron ore shipments by 31 December following a comprehensive viability assessment.
According to the major miner, the decision was influenced by a combination of factors, including limited remaining mine life and significant capital cost associated with the Western Australian site.
MinRes is working with those employed at the site to find redeployment opportunities across its operations, with MinRes executive leaders, people team and in-house mental health counsellors on site to discuss the change and redeployment process.
“This prudent but difficult decision was not taken lightly and follows years of investment to extend the life of our operations in the Yilgarn,” MinRes managing director Chris Ellison said.
“With our investment across Western Australia, we have almost 800 vacancies and will redeploy as many of our people as possible to other MinRes operations, including to our low-cost, long-life Onslow Iron project.
“I want to thank everyone whose hard work and dedication over the past 13 years made this challenging operation a great success.
MinRes will redeploy the five digger fleets, 28 trucks and 25 pieces of ancillary gear currently in operation at Yilgarn Hub across its business in the coming months.
“MinRes has operated in the region since our maiden shipment from Carina in 2011,” Ellison said. “In 2018, with the support of the WA Government, we stepped in to save hundreds of Western Australian jobs at Koolyanobbing that were set to be lost with the departure of Cliffs.
“By the end of this year, we will have operated Koolyanobbing for six and a half years, exported almost 45 million tonnes via the Port of Esperance and spent $4.2 billion running our Yilgarn operation, exceeding our commitments.”
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