Eastern Range mine
{{Short description|Iron ore mine in Western Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox mine
| name=Eastern Range mine
| image =
| width =
| caption =
| pushpin_map = Western Australia
| pushpin_label = Eastern Range mine
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Western Australia
| coordinates = {{coord|23.313320|S|117.785103|E|region:AU-WA|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| place = Shire of Ashburton, Pilbara
| subdivision_type = State
| state/province = Western Australia
| country = Australia
| owner = Rio Tinto Iron Ore (54%) {{Clear}} Shanghai Baosteel (46%)
| official website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20110406102819/http://www.riotintoironore.com/index.asp Rio Tinto Iron Ore website]
| acquisition year =
| products = Iron ore
| financial year =
| amount = 20 million tonnes/annum
| opening year = 2004| closing year =
| module = {{Infobox mapframe
|stroke-colour=#C60C30
|stroke-width=3
|marker=industrial
|marker-colour=#1F2F57
|zoom=9
}}
}}
The Eastern Range mine is an iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 10 kilometres south-east of Paraburdoo.[http://minedexext.doir.wa.gov.au/minedex/external/common/appMain.jsp MINEDEX website: Eastern Range search result] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911130252/http://minedexext.doir.wa.gov.au/minedex/external/common/appMain.jsp |date=September 11, 2008 }} accessed: 6 November 2010
The mine is partly owned and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara.[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/301_pilbara.asp Pilbara] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021131325/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/301_pilbara.asp |date=October 21, 2013 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 6 November 2010[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_mining.asp Mining] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612111105/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_mining.asp |date=June 12, 2010 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 6 November 2010 In 2009, the combined Pilbara operations produced 202 million tonnes of iron ore, a 15 percent increase from 2008.[http://www.riotintoironore.com/documents/AJM_23_Mar_2010_FINAL.pdf Preparing for the future] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715190134/http://www.riotintoironore.com/documents/AJM_23_Mar_2010_FINAL.pdf |date=July 15, 2011 }} Rio Tinto presentation, published: 23 March 2010, accessed: 7 November 2010 The Pilbara operations accounted for almost 13 percent of the world's 2009 iron ore production of 1.59 billion tonnes.[http://www.miningweekly.com/article/iron-ore-production-falls-62-in-2009---unctad-report-2010-07-30 Global iron-ore production falls 6,2% in 2009 - Unctad report] miningweekly.com, published: 30 July 2010, accessed: 7 November 2010[http://www.unctad.org/templates/webflyer.asp?docid=13721&intItemID=1634&lang=1 Production of iron ore fell in 2009, but shipments continued to increase, report says]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} UNCTAD website, published: 30 July 2010, accessed: 7 November 2010
The Hamersley Range, where the mine is located, contains 80 percent of all identified iron ore reserves in Australia and is one of the world's major iron ore provinces.[http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/education/fact_sheets/iron.jsp Iron fact sheet - Australian Resources and Deposits] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218001043/http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/education/fact_sheets/iron.jsp |date=February 18, 2011 }} Geoscience Australia website, accessed: 7 November 2010
Overview
File:Iron ore Pilbara 2.svg region]]
Rio Tinto iron ore operations in the Pilbara began in 1966. The mine itself began operations in 2004. The combined production capacity of the Paraburdoo, Eastern Range and Channar mines is 20 million tonnes of iron ore. The ore is processed both at Eastern Range and at Paraburdoo before being loaded onto rail, being transported from Eastern Range to Paraburdoo by conveyor belt.[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/501_eastern_range.asp Eastern Range mine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614075030/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/501_eastern_range.asp |date=2010-06-14 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 6 November 2010
Ore from the mine is then transported to the coast through the Hamersley & Robe River railway, where it is loaded onto ships.[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_rail.asp Rail] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701061825/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_rail.asp |date=July 1, 2013 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 6 November 2010 Ore from Eastern Range, like Brockman, Mount Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Channar, Marandoo and Yandicoogina are transported as lump and fines ore product from the mines to Dampier via rail. Before being loaded onto ships for export, the product is blended and rescreened. The maximum size for the lumps is 31.5 mm, while the fines are at a maximum of 6.3 mm.[http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/education/fact_sheets/iron.jsp Iron fact sheet - Mining] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218001043/http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/education/fact_sheets/iron.jsp |date=February 18, 2011 }} Geoscience Australia website, accessed: 7 November 2010
The mine's workforce lives residential in Paraburdoo. In 2009, the combined operations of Paraburdoo, Channar and Eastern Range employed 1,081 people, a decrease in comparison to 2008, when it employed 1,324.
The mine is jointly owned by Rio Tinto, who holds 54% and Chinese company Shanghai Baosteel Group Corporation, who owns the remaining 46%.[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/china-in-box-seat-on-a-bhp-rio-deal/story-e6frg9df-1111114836462 China in box seat on a BHP, Rio deal] The Australian, published: 9 November 2007, accessed: 7 November 2010 Shanghai Baosteel acquired its share in the mine in April 2004 in order to secure a long-term, stable supply of resources for the Chinese economy.[http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/27/content_326730.htm Steel mills dig in overseas] China Daily, published: 27 April 2004, accessed: 7 November 2010 Rio Tinto's share of the mine is owned through Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary, which owns six mines in the Pilbara, and partly owns two more mines in the region, including Eastern Range.[http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/documents/Western_Australian_Mineral_and_Petroleum_Statistic_Digest_2009.pdf Western Australian Mineral and Petroleum Statistic Digest 2009] Department of Mines and Petroleum website, accessed: 8 November 2010
While the Eastern Range deposit was known for two decades, it took China's emergence as a major steel producer and oversees investor to develop the mine.[https://archive.today/20120918065301/http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A43765-2004May20?language=printer Booming China Devouring Raw Materials] The Washington Post, published: 21 May 2004, accessed: 7 November 2010
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110406102819/http://www.riotintoironore.com/index.asp Rio Tinto Iron Ore website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080911130252/http://minedexext.doir.wa.gov.au/minedex/external/common/appMain.jsp MINEDEX website] Database of the Department of Mines and Petroleum
{{Iron ore railways in the Pilbara}}
Category:Iron ore mines in Western Australia
Category:Surface mines in Australia