Australia’s biggest privately owned iron ore mine Gine Rinehart’s Roy Hill is in its operation to switch over to its new WetHigh Intensity Magnetic Separation plant (WHIMS) which has been into construction for past 14 months.
This plant is expected to deliver 4-5 MnT of high-grade ore to the Roy Hill, increasing the mine’s export capacity to about 60 MnT pa. It is understood the new product will grade between Fe 61-64%, and will be used as a blending stock to upgrade product from lower-grade parts of the 22km-long deposit and extend the life of the mine.
Roy Hill says the WHIMS plant is the first of its type in the Pilbara’s iron ore industry.
“Commissioning began this month and we are targeting first ore in December.” Roy Hill chief executive Barry Fitzgerald said.
Despite teething troubles early in its life, Roy Hill is expected to hit 55 MnT pa name plate exports in the 2019-20 financial year.
Located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, Roy Hill is 70%owned by Mrs. Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting, with Japanese trading giant Marubeni holding 15%, Korea’s POSCO 12.5% and China Steel Corporation owning 2.5%.
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