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Police and SafeWork officials will investigate a death at a major steelworks plant. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

Iron orePremiumWorker killed after steel beam strike at major plant

A contractor has lost his life after a crane dropped a beam at a steelworks undergoing a $1.15 billion blast furnace reline.

Callum Godde

Rio Tinto has signed a $35 million deal to support a green iron demonstration plant in southwest WA. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

Iron orePremiumMining giant reveals deal to turn iron and steel green

One of Australia's largest mining companies will pause its plans to produce greener iron and invest $35 million in emerging local technology.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

Roger Cook attends the unveiling of the BioIron pilot plant in June last year.

MiningCommentsPremiumRio Tinto’s green steel ambitions suffer major setback

Plans to produce iron using agricultural waste in Perth’s south from next year are no longer on the cards.

Adrian Rauso

BHP WA FIFO workers boarding a plane. Richard Wainwright

MiningPremiumBHP’s Xmas roster loss a threat for local miners

One of Perth’s most prominent industrial relations lawyers believes BHP’s defeat in a Christmas roster dispute over east could have far-reaching consequences for WA businesses.

Adrian Rauso

Former FMG COO Greg Lilleyman with a CAT 789D.

MiningLilleyman pours millions into Fortescue iron ore rival

Former Rio Tinto and Fortescue heavy hitter Greg Lilleyman is a cornerstone investor for Genmin’s $18.3 million capital raising to develop an iron ore mine in Africa.

Adrian Rauso

Research suggests Australia could lead the world in green iron exports. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

Iron orePremiumOne state could help Australia lead green metals race

Australia could help to reduce carbon emissions around the world using green metals but one state is likely to play a bigger role than others.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

Rio Tinto’s Simandou iron ore project in West Africa: Supplied/Rio Tinto

Iron orePremiumPilbara’s new iron ore rival Simandou fires up

Guinea has started shipping iron ore from Simandou, the site of the world’s largest reserve of the mineral.

Ougna Camara

Karara mine was the State’s first big magnetite project.

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WA mine swaps locals with Chinese workers, faces tax probe

Senior employees at Ansteel’s Mid West iron ore operation are being replaced with more than 40 managers and technical specialists parachuted in from China. The miner also faces Australian Tax Office scrutiny.

Adrian Rauso

Built Robotics testing “autonomous piling systems” at the half-built 190 megawatt Cloudbreak solar farm.

MiningPremiumFortescue gets more taxpayer cash for green energy

The Federal Government will dish out $45 million to support Fortescue’s renewable energy trials in the Pilbara while chasing a separate $45m package it gave to the iron ore miner.

Adrian Rauso

(L-R) Godrey Taylor, Rick Cullen, Catriona Macleod, Godfrey Taylor and Sally Bruce.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Law firm in Rinehart’s huge royalty battle acquired

One of the local law firms feasting on a high-stakes stoush between Gina Rinehart and two rival WA iron ore dynasties has been bought out.

Adrian Rauso

Repairs and upgrades to the Onslow Iron private road were completed last month, according to MinRes.

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Onslow Iron optimism drives MinRes share price surge

Mineral Resources plans to boost the maximum capacity of its key mining operation and believes it has learnt from ‘painful experience’ how to handle the next unforgiving Pilbara wet season. 

Adrian Rauso

Mining trucks at the Roy Hill operations.

MiningRinehart’s Roy Hill follows Atlas Iron with profit slump

Annual profit produced by the crown jewel of Gina Rinehart’s Pilbara iron ore empire has nearly halved but still remains well above $1 billion.

Adrian Rauso

Atlas Iron trucks on site.

MiningCommentsPremiumProfit at Rinehart’s Atlas Iron falls to $260m

Atlas Iron posted a net profit of $260 million for the 2025 financial year ‘despite major production interruptions’ caused by cyclone Zelia.

Adrian Rauso

A train loaded with iron ore departs the BHP Yandi Mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia. (AAP Image/BHP)

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Hundreds of WA workers at BHP mine on the chopping block

Scores of jobs are set to go after BHP decided to significantly scale back activity at an iron ore mine that employs about 720 people and is a key union target, The West Australian can reveal.

Adrian Rauso

Mineral Resources’ upgraded Onslow haul road.

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MinRes banks $200m after hitting Onslow Iron target

Mineral Resources will bank an extra $200 million from its Onslow Iron haul road investment partner after hitting a milestone shipment target.

Daniel Newell

Mt Gibson's Koolan Island project in the Kimberley.

MiningCommentsPremiumKimberley iron ore mine to close, 450 jobs to go

Mount Gibson Iron is cutting 450 jobs after the early closure of mining operations at the Koolan Island iron ore mine off the Kimberley.

Sean Smith

Ross McEwan, chair of BHP, speaks during the company's annual general meeting in Melbourne.

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BHP shuts down talk of cartel pact with Rio against China

BHP has not ruled out joining forces with Rio Tinto as China flexes its market muscle, but the Big Australian’s preference is a non-confrontational approach of sharing infrastructure.

Adrian Rauso

Mike Henry, chief executive officer of BHP Group Ltd., during a news conference in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. BHP Group Chair Ross McEwan said the mining giant remained in commercial negotiations with China’s state-run iron ore buyer, noting that previous talks had taken as long as six months. Photographer: Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg

MiningCommentsPremiumBHP CEO warns high energy costs crippling competitiveness

BHP’s boss is again warning that high energy prices are crippling Australia’s competitiveness, saying the country is at risk of being left behind by its rivals in the global race for investment. 

Adrian Rauso

Fortescue’s Cloudbreak mine.

MiningCommentsPremiumFortescue lifts shipments 4pc for record first quarter

Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue is maintaining full-year iron ore guidance after shipping almost 50 million tonnes in the three months to the end of September — a record for a first quarter.

Daniel Newell

The Wrst Australian revealed that a former supervisor at the Wiluna West had implored WorkSafe to investigate the operation just two months before it became the site of 32-year-old Kyle Stanley’s death. 

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningPremium
The West Australian exclusive
WorkSafe admits review after The West’s mine death bombshell

WA’s safety regulator has conceded its internal processes need to change in the wake of explosive revelations about the State’s most recent mining death.

Adrian Rauso

Despite the ructions with China, BHP on Tuesday said it was leaving full-year guidance unchanged at between 258 million tonnes and 269mt.

MiningBHP keeps the faith on China as iron ore sales slip

BHP has given nothing away about its ongoing tiff with China while reporting a marginal slip in iron ore production for the first quarter. 

Daniel Newell

Autonomous trucks at work at Rio TInto's Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

MiningCommentsPremiumBHP-Rio Tinto iron ore alliance floated to confront China

WA’s two most prolific iron ore miners should join forces to prevent China’s emboldened commodities buyer from squeezing them on price, according to one global investment bank.

Adrian Rauso

Rio Tinto boss Simon Trott.

MiningTrott adds to speculation Rio Tinto cull is coming

Rio Tinto needs to “have a hard look” at reducing the number of “layers” it has, according to the mining giant’s chief executive.

Adrian Rauso

Mt Gibson's Koolan Island project off the Kimberley coast.

MiningMount Gibson halt after Koolan rockfall

Mount Gibson Iron has ducked into a trading halt following an overnight rockfall in the main pit of its Koolan Island project off the Kimberley coast.

Daniel Newell