Mining Intelligence and News
Australia

Yilgarn Operation

Click for more information

Categories

Overview

Mine TypeOpen Pit
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Iron Ore
Mining Method
  • Truck & Shovel / Loader
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Yilgarn Hub encompasses six mining operations:
- northern operations of Koolyanobbing, Jackson Ranges, Windarling, Deception, and
- southern operations of Parker Range and Carina.

In June 2024, MinRes announced that after carefully considering all options, the continuity of the Yilgarn operations is not financially viable beyond the end of the 2024 calendar year.

This decision has been influenced by a combination of factors, including the limited remaining mine life across five operating mines spread over 220 kilometres, and the significant capital cost and lead time required to develop new resources to ensure continuity of supply.

Operations will safely ramp down in a staged approach and cease by 31 December 2024, before transitioning into care and maintenance in early 2025.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Mineral Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Yilgarn Iron Pty Ltd. (operator) 100 % Direct
Yilgarn Iron Pty Ltd (YIPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mineral Resources Ltd (MinRes), operates the Windarling Range, Mt Jackson Range, and Deception Deposits.

The Carina and Parker Range projects are owned and operated by Polaris Metals Pty Ltd (Polaris), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mineral Resources Pty Limited (MinRes).

Deposit type

  • Banded iron formation

Summary:

Koolyanobbing is a collective term for the ore deposits at Koolyanobbing, Mount Jackson and Windarling. There are approximately 70 miles separating the three mining areas. Banded iron formations host the mineralization, which is predominately hematite and goethite. Each deposit is characterized with different chemical and physical attributes and, in order to achieve customer product quality, ore in varying quantities from each deposit must be blended together.

The mineralization at the Koolyanobbing operations is predominantly hematite and goethite replacements in greenstone-hosted banded iron formations. Individual deposits tend to be small with complex ore-waste contact relationships. The reserves at the Koolyanobbing operations are derived from 10 separate mineral deposits distributed over a 70 mile operating radius.

The Parker Range (Mt Caudan) deposit is situated in the northern part of the Parker Range BIF strike. The Parker Range has a defined location of 16 km of banded iron formation (BIF) which hosts the mineralised zone for the resource. A 4 km strike length was identified on Mt Caudan and is the focus of the Parker Range Project development.

Reserves

Lock

- subscription is required.

Mining Methods

Lock

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

Lock

- subscription is required.

Production

In June 2024, was announced that Yilgarn iron ore operations would ramp down over six months and cease by 31 December 2024, before transitioning into care and maintenance in early 2025.
CommodityUnits202420232022202120202019201720162015
Iron Ore Mt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe3.2 10 12 12 
All production numbers are expressed as lump & fines. ^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics20242023202220212016
Ore tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Waste  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Total tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Annual production capacity  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe11 Mt of lump & fines

Production Costs

Commodity20242023202220212017
Cash costs Iron Ore  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
Cash costs (sold) Iron Ore 40.2 / t  USD
Total cash costs (sold) Iron Ore 41.6 / t  USD
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Financials

Units2024202320222017
Revenue M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 464.2  USD
Sales margin M 36.3  USD
EBITDA M  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 40.7  USD

Heavy Mobile Equipment

Lock

- subscription is required.

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNamePhoneEmailProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 23, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 23, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 23, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 25, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 25, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required ........... Subscription required ........... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 25, 2024
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required Oct 25, 2024

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2024
...... Subscription required 2023
...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required 2017
...... Subscription required 2016
...... Subscription required 2015

Aerial view:

Lock

- subscription is required.