Editing Pilbara Iron

{{Short description|Mining company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox company
|name             = Pilbara Iron
|logo             = Pilbara Iron.png
|type             = [[Subsidiary]]
|foundation       = 2004
|founder          = [[Rio Tinto (corporation)|Rio Tinto]]<br>[[Robe River Iron Associates]]
|dissolved        = 
|location_city    = [[Perth]], [[Western Australia]]
|location_country = 
|key_people       = 
|area_served      = 
|industry         = [[Mining]]
|products         = [[Iron Ore]]
|revenue          = 
|operating_income = 
|net_income       = 
|num_employees    = 
|parent           = [[Rio Tinto (corporation)|Rio Tinto]]
|divisions        = 
|subsid           = [[#Current mine sites|See below]]
|homepage         = [https://web.archive.org/web/20071029215220/http://www.pilbarairon.com/ www.pilbarairon.com]
|footnotes        = }}

[[File:Pilbara Iron, Tom Price to Dampier Railway.jpg|thumb|Pilbara Iron train, Tom Price to Dampier Railway]]
[[Image:Hamersley Iron 2000 locomotive, Dampier.jpg|thumb|right|Hamersley Iron [[ALCO Century 628|Alco C628]] locomotive at 7 Mile Yard, [[Dampier, Western Australia]].]]

'''Pilbara Iron''' manages assets for Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of [[Rio Tinto (corporation)|Rio Tinto]], and [[Robe River Iron Associates]], an unincorporated [[joint venture]] between Rio Tinto (53%) and Japanese steel companies [[Mitsui & Co|Mitsui Iron Ore Development]] (33%) and [[Nippon Steel]] (14%).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230313100258/https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2022/robe-river-joint-venture-partners-celebrate-50-year-anniversary Robe River Joint Venture celebrates 50-year anniversary] [[Rio Tinto (corporation)|Rio Tinto]] 28 October 2022</ref>
All of these companies are involved in the [[mining]] of [[iron ore]], predominantly from the [[Pilbara]] region of [[Western Australia]].

All of these companies are involved in the [[mining]] of [[iron ore]], predominantly from the [[Pilbara]] region of [[Western Australia]].

In 2004, it was announced that Hamersley and Robe River would merge their operations as Pilbara Iron.<ref>[http://pilbarairon.com/SiteContent/news/news_desc.asp?libraryID=209 Rio Tinto and Robe River progress on Pilbara cooperation], 13 January 2004  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831064328/http://pilbarairon.com/SiteContent/news/news_desc.asp?libraryID=209 |date=August 31, 2007 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/business/rio-formalises-japanese-cooperation-20041030-gdk0jq.html Rio formalises Japanese cooperation] ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' 30 October 2004</ref> The concept had been tested by the formation of Pilbara Rail in 2001, which generated more than $16 million in savings. Pilbara Rail was folded into Pilbara Iron in 2005.<ref>
{{Citation
  | title = Farewell to Pilbara Rail
  | magazine = Minera
  | issue = 5
  | pages = 20–21
  | date = April 2005
  | publisher = Pilbara Iron
  | url = http://pilbarairon.com/documents/Minera%20Issue%205%20-%20Final.pdf
  | accessdate = 2007-10-01
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070829065543/http://pilbarairon.com/documents/Minera%20Issue%205%20-%20Final.pdf
  | archive-date = 2007-08-29}}</ref> Each company continues to market products separately and retains ownership and profits from the underlying mines, as well as strategic development of their own mineral resources.<ref name="Pilbara Iron – About Us">[http://pilbarairon.com/SiteContent/aboutus/aboutus.asp Pilbara Iron – About Us] accessed 1 October 2007  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515171104/http://pilbarairon.com/SiteContent/aboutus/aboutus.asp |date=May 15, 2009 }}</ref> Each company continues to market products separately and retains ownership and profits from the underlying mines, as well as strategic development of their own mineral resources.<ref name="Pilbara Iron – About Us"/>

==Current mine sites==
Mine sites currently operating:
{{Columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Brockman mine]] (1992)
* [[Brockman 4 mine]] (2010)
* [[Channar mine]] (1990)
* [[Eastern Range mine]] (2004)
* [[Hope Downs mine]] (2007)
* Hope Downs 4 mine (2014)
* [[Marandoo mine]] (1994)
* [[Mesa A mine]] (2010)
* [[Mesa J mine]] (1994)
* [[Mount Tom Price mine]] (1966)
* [[Nammuldi mine]] (2003)
* [[Paraburdoo mine]] (1972)
* [[West Angelas mine]] (2002)
* [[Yandicoogina mine]] (1998)}}

All iron ore mined at the sites is transported on the [[Hamersley & Robe River railway]], one of the world's largest privately owned railways to [[Dampier, Western Australia|Dampier]] and [[Cape Lambert]]. From there the ore is shipped across the world, with China and Japan the largest markets as of 2007.<ref>Trengrove, Alan (1976) ''Adventure in iron / Hamersley's First Decade'' Melbourne, Stockwell Press. {{ISBN|0-909316-03-1}}  (Hamersley Chronology on end-pages)</ref>

==Historical events==
July 1962: Hamersley Holdings Pty Ltd is formed to develop deposits in the Hamersley Range.<ref name="ironage_64_2"/>

September 1962: Thomas Moore Price dies shortly after receiving news of the discovery of promising deposits at what would later be called Mount Tom Price.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Steel Post |title=The Tom Price Story |publisher=Hamersley Iron |date=August 1996 |url=https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b4813016_234.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601120324/https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b4813016_234.pdf |archive-date=1 June 2023 |page=1 |access-date=1 June 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref>

August 1963, Hamersley Holdings Pty Ltd, a subsidiary owned by Conzinc-Riotinto of Australia (60%) and [[Kaiser Steel]] (40%), signed a 30-year agreement with the [[Government of Western Australia]] for the development of iron ore leases held by the company and for the eventual establishment of an integrated iron and steel industry.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Foreign Commerce Weekly |volume=69 |issue=35 |date=2 September 1963 |title=Business Bulletins |page=1 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_international-commerce_1963-09-02_69_35/page/1/mode/1up?q=%22Kaiser%22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=E & MJ Metal and Mineral Markets |volume=34 |issue=32 |date=12 August 1963 |title=Conzinc, Kaiser Partnership to Mine Australian Iron Ore |page=10 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_platts-metals-week_1963-08-12_34_32/page/10/mode/1up}}</ref> The $175 million over 30 years program was established in anticipation of supplying iron ore to the Japanese steel industry.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x2IY7TWzGngC&pg=PA627 |title=Minerals Yearbook |year=1963 |publisher=[[United States Bureau of Mines]] |page=627}}</ref>

February 1964: a proposal is announced for Hamersley Iron to export 65 million tons over 15 years starting in 1967 to the Japanese steel industry. Reserves estimated at five billion tons of 50% to 66% by Kaiser Steel. Ten involved Japanese steel works cited in the ''Iron Age'' article.<ref name="ironage_64_2">{{cite magazine |magazine=The Iron Age |volume=193 |issue=8 |date=20 February 1964 |title=Japanese Offered Iron Ore Deal |page=98 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_chiltons-iron-age_1964-02-20_193_8/page/98/mode/1up}}</ref>

1964: Japanese firms sign contract to buy five million tons from the [[WMC Resources|Western Mining Corporation]] for $69 million with deliveries to start in 1966.<ref name="intcom_65_1">{{cite news |newspaper=International Commerce |volume=71 |issue=3 |date=18 January 1965 |title=U.S. Firms Share in Huge Sale of Australian Iron Ore to Japan |page=66 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_international-commerce_1965-01-18_71_3/page/66/mode/1up}}</ref>

January 1965: Hamersley Iron signed a contract to sell over a 15-year period starting in 1966 65.5 million tons at a price of $600 million. A 176-mile railway line and a port at King Bay for ore carriers up to 100,000 tons was to be constructed. Mount Goldsworthy Mining Associated, a joint venture of [[Cyprus Mines Corporation]] of [[Los Angeles]], [[Utah Construction Company]] of [[San Francisco]], [[Consolidated Gold Fields]] of [[London]], signed a $164 million contract for 16.5 million tons of Western Australia ore with Japanese buyers. Also a $60 million contract for pellets from [[Tasmania]] to Japan was signed at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=The Iron Age |volume=195 |issue=1 |date=7 January 1965 |title=Three Sales Open Ore Reserves In Australia |page=15 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_chiltons-iron-age_1965-01-07_195_1/page/15/mode/1up}}</ref> Reported as an 82 million tons, $757 million over 17-year contract by ''International Commerce''.<ref name="intcom_65_1"/>

June 1965: Hamersley Iron agreed to sell 16 million tons of iron ore pellets to Japan at one million tons per year and planned to build a pelletizing plant at King Bay.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=E & MJ Metal and Mineral Markets |volume=36 |issue=25 |date=21 June 1965 |title=Market News Brief |page=5 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_platts-metals-week_1965-06-21_36_25/page/5/mode/1up?q=%22Hamersley%22}}</ref>

August 1965: Hamersley agreed to sell to [[Kobe Steel]] $16 million worth of low grade iron ore from Mount Tom Price bringing the total in sales contracts to $825 million.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=E & MJ Metal and Mineral Markets |volume=36 |issue=31 |date=2 August 1965 |title=More Australian Iron Ore For Japan |page=3 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_platts-metals-week_1965-08-02_36_31/page/3/mode/1up?q=%22Hamersley%22}}</ref>

* May 1967 – Hamersley Holdings shares list on the [[Australian Securities Exchange]] in the largest [[initial public offering]] in Australian history<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131657208 Hamersley] ''[[Canberra Times]]'' 26 May 1967 page 21</ref>
* May 1974 – Hamersley Europe Pty. Limited incorporated

In June 1979, Kaiser Steel sold its 28% shareholding in Hamersley Holdings to Conzinc Riotinto for $207.5 million, bringing the Rio Tinto share of the company to 82%.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=The Iron Age |volume=222 |issue=24 |date=25 June 1979 |title=Kaiser Steel To Sell Holdings in Hamersley |page=93 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_chiltons-iron-age_1979-06-25_222_24/page/93/mode/1up?q=%22Kaiser%20Steel%22}}</ref><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110950163 CRA to buy Kaiser share of Hamersley Holdings] ''Canberra Times'' 5 June 1979 page 19</ref>

==Film ''Red Dog''==
The film ''[[Red Dog (film)|Red Dog]]'', based on stories about an actual wandering dog of the Pilbara region, was made at Hamersley Iron locations.

==See also==
{{Portal|Western Australia}}
* [[Pilbara historical timeline]]
* [[Pilbara newspapers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Pilbara Iron diesel locomotives}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071029215220/http://www.pilbarairon.com/ Rio Tinto Iron Ore] Official website

{{Mining companies of Australia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mining companies of Australia]]
[[Category:Companies based in Perth, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Pilbara]]
[[Category:Rio Tinto Iron Ore]]