Mount Whaleback mine
| Company type | Subsidiary operation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mining |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Headquarters | Newman , Australia |
Area served | Pilbara region, Western Australia |
| Products | Iron ore |
| Owner | BHP (85%) |
The Mount Whaleback mine, also known as the Newman West operation,[1] is an iron ore extraction site situated in Western Australia's Pilbara region, approximately six kilometres to the west of Newman.
Owned predominantly by BHP with an 85% stake, this mine forms part of five iron ore mining sites operated by the company within the Pilbara. In addition to mining activities, BHP oversees two port facilities at Port Hedland—Nelson Point and Finucane Island—and maintains a rail network exceeding 1,000 kilometres throughout the area.[2]
Within the Pilbara iron ore industry, BHP holds the position of the second-largest producer, trailing Rio Tinto but leading ahead of Fortescue Metals Group. Around 2010, BHP's workforce in the Pilbara region numbered close to 8,000 employees.[3][2]
Overview
The Mount Whaleback iron ore deposit was initially identified in 1957 by Stan Hilditch; however, it was not publicly announced until 1960 following the Australian Government's removal of its export ban on iron ore due to supply issues. The pioneering mine developed in the region was the Goldsworthy mine in 1965, accompanied by the establishment of both the Goldsworthy railway and port infrastructure at Finucane Island. The inaugural shipment of Pilbara iron ore set sail on 1 June 1966 aboard the vessel Harvey S. Mudd.
Operations at Newman commenced under BHP in 1968 with the launch of Mount Whaleback, recognized as the largest single-pit open-cut iron ore mine worldwide, initially constructed by Bechtel Pacific. The mine extends roughly 1.5 kilometres in width and over five kilometres in length, with plans targeting a depth reaching 0.5 kilometres. Concurrently, a new settlement named Newman was established alongside the construction of the 426-kilometre Mount Newman railway. The first train departed from Newman on 1 January 1969, followed by the first ore shipment from Newman on 1 April 1969 aboard the Osumi Maru. Until 1981, Newman functioned as a company-owned town.
Ore extracted from Mount Whaleback is transported via two separate railway lines to Port Hedland. The Mount Newman railway services Mount Whaleback as well as Orebodies 18, 23, and 25, Jimblebar, Yandi, and Area C mines. Meanwhile, the shorter Goldsworthy railway caters to the Yarrie mine.
At Port Hedland, ore originating from Mount Whaleback and other Newman mines along with Yandi is exported through Nelson Point. Conversely, material from Area C and Yarrie is dispatched via Finucane Island. These two port facilities are interconnected by a tunnel measuring approximately 1.16 kilometres in length. Each year, around 800 vessels are loaded at Port Hedland with an average turnaround time of about 30 hours per ship.
Visitors have the opportunity to participate in a guided tour of the mine lasting around one and a half hours.
External links
- BHP website
- MINEDEX website Database of the Department of Mines and Petroleum