Mesa J mine
Encyclopedia
The Mesa J mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia
, 16 kilometres south-west of Pannawonica
.
The mine is owned by Robe River Iron Associates (53% Rio Tinto) and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore
and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara. In the calendar year 2009, the combined Pilbara operations produced 202 million tonnes of iron ore, a 15 percent increase from 2008. The Pilbara operations accounted for almost 13 percent of the world's 2009 iron ore production of 1.59 billion tonnes.
The Hamersley Range
, where the mine is located, contains 80 percent of all identified iron ore reserves in Australia
and is one of the world's major iron ore provinces.
Ore from the mine is then transported to the coast through the Hamersley & Robe River railway
, where it is loaded onto ships. Ore from Mesa J, like from the West Angelas
, is taken to Cape Lambert by rail to be exported as fines. The fines have a maximum size of 9.5 mm.
The mines workforce is on a Fly-in fly-out
roster.
The mine is located near the Mesa A mine
. The new Mesa A mine is scheduled to replace the Mesa J mine which is nearing the end of its life span. The combined investment of Rio Tinto in the new Mesa A and Brockman 4 mine
s is A$2.4 billion.
Robe River Iron operates the West Angelas, Mesa A and Mesa J mines. Rio Tinto acquired its share of 53% in late 2000, when it took over mining company North Limitd.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, 16 kilometres south-west of Pannawonica
Pannawonica, Western Australia
The town of Pannawonica is an iron-ore mining town located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, near the Robe River, about 200 km south-west from Karratha...
.
The mine is owned by Robe River Iron Associates (53% Rio Tinto) and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore
Rio Tinto Group
The Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara. In the calendar year 2009, the combined Pilbara operations produced 202 million tonnes of iron ore, a 15 percent increase from 2008. The Pilbara operations accounted for almost 13 percent of the world's 2009 iron ore production of 1.59 billion tonnes.
The Hamersley Range
Hamersley Range
The Hamersley Ranges is a mountainous region of the Pilbara, Western Australia. The range runs from the Fortescue River in the northeast, 460 km south. The range contains Western Australia's highest point, Mount Meharry, which reaches approximately AHD. There are many extensively-eroded...
, where the mine is located, contains 80 percent of all identified iron ore reserves in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and is one of the world's major iron ore provinces.
Overview
Rio Tinto's iron ore operations in the Pilbara began in 1966. The mine itself began operations in 1994. The mine has an annual production capacity of 7 million tonnes of iron ore, sourced from open-pit operations. The ore is processed on site before being loaded onto rail. At the height of production, the mine produced 35 million tonnes of iron ore annually.Ore from the mine is then transported to the coast through the Hamersley & Robe River railway
Hamersley & Robe River railway
The Hamersley & Robe River railway, majority-owned and operated by the Rio Tinto Group, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia for the purpose of carrying iron ore. The network is larger than any other Australian heavy freight rail network in private ownership. The...
, where it is loaded onto ships. Ore from Mesa J, like from the West Angelas
West Angelas mine
The West Angelas mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 110 kilometres west of Newman.The mine is owned by Robe River Iron Associates and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
, is taken to Cape Lambert by rail to be exported as fines. The fines have a maximum size of 9.5 mm.
The mines workforce is on a Fly-in fly-out
Fly-in fly-out
Fly-in fly-out is a method of employing people in remote areas. It is often abbreviated to FIFO when referring to employment status. This is common in large mining states in Australia...
roster.
The mine is located near the Mesa A mine
Mesa A mine
The Mesa A mine, sometimes also referred to as Waramboo mine, is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 50 kilometres west of Pannawonica....
. The new Mesa A mine is scheduled to replace the Mesa J mine which is nearing the end of its life span. The combined investment of Rio Tinto in the new Mesa A and Brockman 4 mine
Brockman 4 mine
The Brockman 4 mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 60 kilometres north-west of Tom Price. The mine, located near the existing Brockman mine, is scheduled to open in 2010....
s is A$2.4 billion.
Robe River Iron Associates
Robe River Iron, owner of the mine, is jointly owned by the following companies:- Rio Tinto GroupRio Tinto GroupThe Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
- 53% - operator - Mitsui and Co. (Australia) LtdMitsui & Co.Mitsui & Co., also known as Mitsui Bussan, is one of the largest sogo shosha in Japan, and also part of the Mitsui Group. Its business area covers energy, machinery, chemicals, food, textile, logistics, finance, and more.- History :...
- 33% - Nippon Steel Australia Pty LtdNippon Steel, also referred to as , was formed in 1970. Nippon Steel Corporation is the world's 4th largest steel producer by volume.-Early years:Nippon Steel was created by the merger of two giants, Yawata Iron & Steel and Fuji Iron & Steel...
- 10.5% - Sumitomo Metal Australia Pty LtdSumitomo Metal Industriesis a company with seat in Osaka, Japan. )It is the third largest integrated steel manufacturer in Japan withthree integrated steelworks and several other manufacturing plants.It is one of the largest manufacturers of Seamless Pipes and Tubes,...
- 3.5%
Robe River Iron operates the West Angelas, Mesa A and Mesa J mines. Rio Tinto acquired its share of 53% in late 2000, when it took over mining company North Limitd.
External links
- Rio Tinto Iron Ore website
- MINEDEX website Database of the Department of Mines and PetroleumDepartment of Mines and PetroleumThe Department of Mines and Petroleum is a department of the Government of Western Australia. The department was formed on 1 January 2009, out of the former Department of Industry and Resources and Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, which were split into three new departments, the...