Koolan Island

The island is approximately {{cvt|13|km|0|abbr=on}} in length and {{convert|4|km|mi|abbr=on}} at its widest point. It encompasses an area of {{convert|2580|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.library.uq.edu.au/ojs/index.php/aa/issue/view/94|work=Australian Archeology|title=New radiocarbon dates from Koolan Island, West Kimberley WA|author=Sue O'Connor|author-link=Sue O'Connor|year=1989|accessdate=10 August 2014|publisher=University of Queensland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810075750/https://www.library.uq.edu.au/ojs/index.php/aa/issue/view/94|archive-date=10 August 2014|url-status=dead}} The island is {{convert|750|m|abbr=on}} offshore, with a smaller island, Round Island, between Koolan and the mainland.

Composed of a Paleoproterozoic Statherian-age (1,600 to 1,800 million years old) sedimentary sequence of quartz sandstone, hematitic sandstone, feldspathic sandstone, siltstone, and hematitic conglomerate, the island has a rugged dissected terrain. Ridges have thin stony sandy soils. The highest point of the island is at {{convert|168|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.{{cite journal |last1=Tyler |first1=I. M. |last2=Griffin |first2=T. J. |title=Explanatory notes on the Yampi 1:250 000 Geological Sheet, Western Australia |journal=1 :250 000 Geological Series-Explanatory Notes |date=1 December 1993 |page=23 |url=https://geodocs.dmirs.wa.gov.au/Web/documentlist/3/Combined/N93AT |accessdate=9 November 2020 |publisher=Geological Survey of Western Australia |location=Perth |issn=0729-3720}}

BHP subsidiary Australian Iron & Steel commenced open-pit mining operations on Koolan and neighbouring Cockatoo Island in 1951, shipping ore on company-owned ships to Port Kembla. By 1963 it had established substantial mining operations there. The Koolan Island mine closed in 1994 after BHP had extracted 68 million tonnes of high-grade haematite ore, averaging 67% iron.{{cite news |title=First Yampi Ore |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48982945 |accessdate=12 May 2020 |work=The West Australian|date=30 July 1951 |location=Perth, WA |page=3}}

At its peak, Koolan Island had a population of 950 people and had a school, police station, recreation facilities and shops. It had the world's then-longest golf course hole{{snd}}a {{convert|860|yd|m ft|order=out|adj=on}} par 7 number 6 which doubled as the island's air strip.

Major rehabilitation of the island was undertaken after the mine closure, with buildings and exotic vegetation removed. Extensive replanting of native species has been undertaken.

On completion of mining operations in 1993 the base of Main Pit was 80 metres below sea level. BHP excavated a channel from the ocean to allow seven million cubic metres of sea water to flood the pit, allowing a productive photic zone marine eco-system to develop within the bounds of the former working pit. In 2007 Mount Gibson Iron re-commenced mining at Koolan Island. In 2011 a seawall was completed on the ocean side of Main Pit to allow that pit to be dewatered.{{cite book |title=Koolan Island Iron Ore Mine and Port Facility |date=November 2005 |publisher=Environmental Protection Authority|location=Perth, WA |isbn=0-7307-6844-9 |url=https://library.dbca.wa.gov.au/static/Journals/080218/080218-1203.pdf}}{{cite journal |last1=Driscoll |first1=Andrew M. |last2=Antenucci |first2=Jason P. |last3=Schmied |first3=Lauren D. |last4=Bhautoo |first4=Prema S. |last5=Collie |first5=Troy |title=Marine Modelling in Support of Koolan Island Mine Recommencement and Eventual Decommissioning |journal=Coastal Engineering Proceedings |date=30 December 2018 |volume=1 |issue=36 |page=86 |doi=10.9753/icce.v36.risk.86|doi-access=free }}{{cite web |title=Koolan Island Iron Ore Mine and Port Facility Project - Marine Management Plan Revision |url=https://www.mtgibsoniron.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Koolan-Island-Marine-Management-Plan.pdf |publisher=Mt Gibson Iron |accessdate=9 November 2020 |location=Perth, WA |date=2015}}

Earlier, in April 2006, the company signed a co-existence agreement with two Aboriginal Australian peoples, the Dambimangari (Dambima/Worrorra-Ngardi) traditional owners of the island. The agreement aims to ensure that 30% of the 220 person workforce is filled by Indigenous people by the eighth year of operation.{{cite web | title=Aztec Resources Ltd Announcements - Aztec Resources Ltd: Koolan Island Agreement | website=Investegate | date=24 April 2006 | url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200604240833018572B | access-date=10 November 2020}}

On 18 August 2006, Aztec announced that it had signed orders with the Chinese group CITIC for 1.5 MT of ore from 2007.{{cite web|url=http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1717951.htm|title=Iron ore supplier Aztec strikes deal with China|work=ABC News|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603235154/http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1717951.htm|archivedate=3 June 2011}} In November 2006, Mount Gibson Iron took over Aztec.{{cite web | title=Mount Gibson to swallow Aztec Resources | website=Sydney Morning Herald| date=28 November 2006 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/mount-gibson-to-swallow-aztec-resources-20061129-gdoxi7.html | access-date=10 November 2020}}

In 2014, the main seawall failed and the mine was flooded. The seawall was rebuilt and reinforced{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2019-01-24/koolan-island-mine-restart/10743794|title=Crocs, sharks and stingrays: The hazards of mining below sea level|last=Fowler|first=Courtney|date=2019-01-24|website=ABC Rural|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-10-21}} and the pit is being dewatered again as of August 2018. Shipments of iron ore to China recommenced April 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.australianmining.com.au/news/first-dso-hematite-shipment-from-koolan-island-heads-for-china/|title=Mount Gibson restarts Koolan Island shipments to China|last=Zhou|first=Vanessa|date=2019-04-24|website=Australian Mining|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-10-21}}

{{as of|2020}} Mount Gibson still operates the mine.{{cite web | title=Mt Gibson Iron | website=Mount Gibson Iron | url=https://www.mtgibsoniron.com.au/ | language=rw | access-date=10 November 2020}}

On 23 December 1984, a single-engined Cessna 210 aircraft, which had just taken off from the island en route to Broome, struck power lines and somersaulted. Six people were killed.{{Cite web|title=Investigation: 198404513 - Cessna 210 L, VH-MDI, Koolan Island WA, 23 December 1984|url=http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1984/aair/aair198404513.aspx|access-date=2021-10-03|website=Australian Transport Safety Bureau}}

It appears the aircraft may have been overloaded with passengers and fuel at the time. The plane took off with the wind from the south across the strip rather than over the ocean and submarine rock. The gravel strip at the time had been affected by a cyclone in the area on the previous days.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

• A Job well done : the Koolan Island achievement. Perth, W.A. BHP Minerals, 1992. {{ISBN|0-86769-024-0}}
• Biological inventory of Koolan Island, Western Australia. Part 1. Flora and vegetation. in Records of the Western Australian Museum, Vol. 17, no. 3 (1995), p. 237-248
• Koolan Island - cave discovered containing (Pleistocene) Aboriginal archaeological material Iron ore chronicle, Vol. 234 (March 1989), p. 6.

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071122011301/http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/history/Transcripts/s1136643.htm Koolan Island] transcript from George Negus Tonight 21 June 2004
• [http://www.intersuisse.com.au/upload/ausmine/Aztec%20Resources%20Profile.pdf Credit Suisse investors report]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} 11 March 2005
• [http://au.biz.yahoo.com/060626/38/rwpk.html Aztec Resources Commences Construction on Koolan Island Project]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} from Yahoo Finance F 26 June 2006
• [https://www.mtgibsoniron.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2-08-2018-Koolan-Island-Dewatering-Underway.pdf Mount Gibson press release] 2 August 2018

{{Coord|16|07|31|S|123|44|18|E|region:AU_type:isle|display=title}}

{{Towns Kimberley WA}}

Category:Buccaneer Archipelago