Kings Valley mine (Western Australia)

{{further|Fortescue Metals Group#Opposition to Solomon Hub mining lease}}

File:Iron ore Pilbara 2.svg region]]

The mine is located on the traditional land of the Yindjibarndi people, with the proposed mining at the Solomon hub leading to a long-standing dispute between the native title holders and the Fortescue Metals Group over compensation. The issue split the local community to a point where the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation rejected FMG's offers, which led to a rival group, the Wirlu-Murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation, being formed, which chose to work with the mining company.{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Jane |date=21 July 2011 |title=The Yindjibarndi FMG case |url=https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/04/18/3194693.htm |work=ABC Local |location= |access-date=21 March 2022 }} The dispute was eventually settled in 2020, after 17 years of legal battle, when the High Court of Australia ruled in favour of the traditional owners, refusing the right of appeal to FMG.{{cite news| title =Fortescue Metals Group has lost a High Court appeal to overturn Native Title rights over 2,700 square kilometres of land in the Pilbara, including the site of an iron ore mine| last =Jenkins| first =Keira| website= SBS| date =29 May 2020 | url= https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/05/29/yindjibarndi-people-celebrate-end-long-battle-fortescue-over-native-title-rights1 |access-date=21 March 2022}}

However, in 2021 negotiations over an Indigenous Land Use Agreement failed, and {{as of|lc=yes| May 2022}} the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation is leading a native title compensation claim in the Federal Court, asserting that FMG have been mining on Yindjibarndi land without an agreement. According to the National Native Title Tribunal, the Federal Court needs to make a determination on whether the community is eligible for "compensation for the loss, impairment, diminution or extinguishment of native title rights and interests in the area".{{cite web | last=Lannin | first=Sue | title=Fortescue Metals could face paying traditional owners millions of dollars in native title compensation claim |website=ABC News| publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=25 May 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-25/mining-native-title-fortescue-indigenous-land-rights/101096758 | access-date=31 May 2022}}

In March 2011, FMG lodged an application with the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia for approval of the Solomon iron ore project, consisting of the Kings Valley and Firetail mine, and {{cvt|127|km}} of new railway line to connect the mines with the existing Fortescue railway. Mine life, at the time, was predicted to be 20 years with a combined production of 80 million tonnes of iron ore per annum.{{cite web |url=https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/EPA_Report/Rep%201386%20Sol%20Iron%20PER%2014311.pdf |title=Solomon Iron Ore Project |author= |date=March 2011 |website=www.epa.wa.gov.au |publisher=Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia |access-date=22 March 2022 |quote=}}

While the nearby Firetail mine officially opened on 6 May 2013,{{cite news |last=Latimer |first=Cole |date=6 May 2013 |title=Fortescue opens Firetail iron ore mine |url=https://www.australianmining.com.au/features/fortescue-opens-firetail-iron-ore-mine/ |work=Australian Mining |location= |access-date=21 March 2022 }} the Kings Valley mine was opened on 28 March 2014.{{cite news |last=Latimer |first=Cole |date=28 March 2014 |title=Fortescue opens the Kings Valley iron ore mine |url=https://www.australianmining.com.au/features/fortescue-opens-the-kings-valley-iron-ore-mine/ |work=Australian Mining |location= |access-date=22 March 2022 }} The mine, the second operation of the Solomon Hub, was scheduled to produce 40 million tonnes of iron ore per annum, while the Firetail mine was planned to produce half this amount for a projected total annual production for the hub of 60 million tonnes. The opening of the Kings Valley mine marked the end of $A9.96 billion expansion plan by Fortescue which had been ongoing since 2010 and expanded the company's production to 155 million tonnes of iron ore per annum.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=28 March 2014 |title=FMG to open Kings Valley mine |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/fmg-to-open-kings-valley-mine-ng-ya-368335 |work=The West Australian |location= |access-date=22 March 2022 }}

A proposed three-fold expansion of the Solomon Hub mining area was approved by the Environmental Protection Authority in late 2016, despite long-standing opposition by the traditional owners of the land, the Yindjibarndi people, as well as concerns over the effects on the nearby Hammersley Gorge, located in Karijini National Park. The expansion was rejected by the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation but approved of by the rival Wirlu-Murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation.{{cite news |last=Wahlquist |first=Calla |date=23 November 2016 |title=Path cleared for major Western Australia iron ore mine expansion |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/23/path-cleared-for-major-western-australia-iron-ore-mine-expansion |work=The Guardian |location= |access-date=21 March 2022 }}

Mining at the Solomon Hub was temporarily suspended in late September 2021, after a fatality at one of the mines, when a male employee died in a ground collapse.{{cite news |last=Weber |first=David |date=7 October 2021 |title=FMG suspends operations at its Solomon Hub iron ore mine in WA's Pilbara after employee death |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-30/fmg-suspends-solomon-mine-operations-after-minesite-death/100503096 |work=ABC News |location= |access-date=21 March 2022 }}

A third operation within the Solomon Hub, the Queens Valley mine, was approved for construction in 2019 at a projected cost of A$417 million. The mine, located {{cvt|15|km}} west of the Kings Valley mine, is scheduled to open in 2022.{{cite news |last=Newell |first=Daniel |date=22 May 2019 |title=FMG green lights $US287m Solomon extension with Queens Valley development |url=https://thewest.com.au/business/mining/fmg-green-lights-us287m-solomon-extension-with-queens-valley-development-ng-b881207051z |work=The West Australian |location= |access-date=26 March 2022 }}

Apart from the Solomon Hub, {{as of |lc=yes|March 2022}}, the company also mines the Chichester Hub, consisting of the Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak mines, and the Western Hub, consisting of the Eliwana mine.{{cite web |url=https://www.fmgl.com.au/about-fortescue/our-operations |title=Overview of operations |author= |date= |website=www.fmgl.com.au |publisher=Fortescue Metals Group |access-date=21 March 2022 |quote=}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://minedex.dmirs.wa.gov.au/Web/projects/details/805c353f-7415-4eea-9279-51c0133ae287 MINEDEX website: Solomon - Greater Solomon] Database of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
• [https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/solomon-iron-ore-project Solomon Iron Ore Project] Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia

{{Iron ore mining in Western Australia|state=collapsed}}

Category:Iron ore mines in Western Australia

Category:Surface mines in Australia

Category:Shire of Ashburton

Category:Fortescue Metals Group

Category:2014 establishments in Australia

Category:Aboriginal land rights in Australia

Category:Environmental racism