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Australia

Onslow Mine

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Australia

Onslow Mine

Location: 125 km SE from Onslow, Western Australia, Australia

Address:

20 Walters Drive, Osborne Park
Perth
Western Australia, Australia
6017

Contacts:

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Summary

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Onslow Iron project (formerly known as the Ashburton project) is one of the largest iron ore projects under development in Australia.

The Onslow Iron Project (OIP) consists of Ken’s Bore, Upper Cane and Cardo Bore East deposits.

At the Onslow Iron mine, first ore on ship was achieved in May 2024. Onslow Iron mine moved into the production phase on 30 June 2025.

Onslow Iron’s mine plan uses satellite deposits, with ore set to be hauled to the centralised crushing, processing and truck load out facility at Ken’s Bore via a series of dedicated haul roads.

In 2025 Mineral Resources successfully developed two new deposits – Cardo Bore East and Upper Cane – which will be blended with ore from the Ken’s Bore deposit.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
POSCO Australia Pty Ltd 10.3 % Indirect
AMCI Group 10.7 % Indirect
China Baowu 18.7 % Indirect
Mineral Resources Ltd. (operator) 60.3 % Indirect
The Onslow Iron project is being developed by Mineral Resources (MinRes) in partnership with Baowu Steel Group Corp., Ltd., AMCI Group and POSCO Australia Pty Ltd (Red Hill Iron Ore Joint Venture).

Effective Ownership:

- MinRes 60.3%. Onslow attributable volumes are expected to average at MinRes’ 57% equity share over the life of the project. MinRes also holds an indirect interest of 3.3% through its shareholding in Aquila Resources.

- Baowu 18.7;

- AMCI 10.7%;

- POSCO 10.3.

Contractors

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SourceSource

Deposit type

  • Channel Iron (CID)

Summary:

The Onslow Iron Project (OIP) deposits including Ken’s Bore, Upper Cane, Cochrane, Jewel, Trinity Bore, Cardo Bore East deposits are classified as Channel Iron Deposit (CID) and are in the Hamersley Province.

The OIP iron ore mineralisation occurs as a secondary CID also known as Robe Pisolites. The deposits straddle the western edge of the Hamersley Basin in the Pilbara Craton.

The Robe Pisolite is dominantly a clast-supported conglomerate composed of iron-rich detrital material that has undergone variable amounts of weathering. The conglomerate varies in the proportion of clasts to matrix, and in clast composition. The pisolite typically contains concretions of goethite-hematite and fossilised wood cemented with iron oxide.

Weathering and alteration within the CID impart a characteristic, traceable vertical zonation. These horizons are the uppermost hard cap zone, followed by a mottled clay horizon, a zone of enriched higher-grade ore (due to elevated hematite content), a zone of mixed or denatured ore and an extensive mottled clay zone which exists at the base of the CID.

Iron mineralisation at OIP deposits consist of a series of lenses and pods with the mineralisation defined by three distinct zones:
• Goethitic (semi) hard cap occurs at the interface between the alluvial/immature detritals/clayey cover. This unit is relatively thin (~6m thick) and not always laterally continuous;
• The primary ore body is hard and competent CID (~19m thick) and typically occurs below the hard cap and clayey zones. CID here is generally very well preserved and more hematitic than goethitic;
• The basal mixed CID zone occurs almost exclusively below the hard primary ore zone. It is thickest in the middle of the channel and tapers out towards the flanks of the channel (~ 6m thick).

Ken’s Bore
Ken’s Bore CID mineralisation occurs as a paleochannel striking Northwest. CID was formed by the alluvial and chemical deposition of iron-rich sediments in paleo-river channels after erosion and weathering of lateritised Hamersley Group sediments. The deposit is approximately 11km in length and has a maximum width of approximately 2km. The mesa raises up to 30m high in places with paleochannel extending to depths of 70m.

Upper Cane
Upper Cane CID mineralisation occurs as a paleochannel striking East Northeast - West Southwest. The deposit is approximately 3km in length and has a maximum width of approximately 1km. The mesa raises up to 30m high in places with paleochannel extending to maximum depths of 75m.

Cochrane
Cochrane CID mineralisation is a paleochannel formed by an approximately 3km Northeast - Southwest strike cross by an approximately 3km Northwest - Southeast strike. The Mesa raises up to approximately 30m high in places with paleochannel extending to maximum depths of 70m.

Jewel
Jewel CID mineralisation paleochannel striking East - West. The deposit is approximately 2km in length and has a maximum width of approximately 0.3km. The mesa raises up to approximately 30m high in places with paleochannel extending to maximum depths of 60m.

Trinity Bore
Jewel CID mineralisation as a waning crescent shape paleochannel meanly striking Northeast - Southwest. The deposit is approximately 11km in length and has a maximum width of approximately 1.5km. The mesa raises up to approximately 30m high in places with paleochannel extending to maximum depths of 50m.

Cardo Bore East
Cardo Bore East CID mineralisation paleochannel strikes East - West. The deposit is approximately 3km in length and has a maximum width of approximately 2km. The mesa raises up to approximately 30m high in places with paleochannel extending to maximum depths of 40m.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

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EV - Electric
AV - Autonomous

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

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Production Costs

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Mine Financials

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Personnel

Mine Management

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