Hope Downs mine

Overview

Rio Tinto iron ore operations in the Pilbara began in 1966. Exploration work through Hancock Prospecting at the Hope Downs 4 deposit began in 1992. Hancock unsuccessfully tried to develop the project with a number of partners, briefly rumored to be planning to join up with the Fortescue Metals Group in 2005, who was then developing its Cloud Break mine in the region. The development of the project suffered further delays when attempts to gain access to BHP Billiton's rail network failed, burdening the project with a further A$1 billion in cost to construct rail and port infrastructure. Eventually, in July 2005, Rio Tinto became a partner in the project instead, making thereby the construction of major infrastructure unnecessary, and, after spending A$1.3 billion, the mine moved into production in November 2007. The mine has an annual production capacity of 30 million tonnes of iron ore, sourced from open-pit operations. The ore is processed on site before being loaded onto rail.

In the first half of 2009, Rio Tinto upgraded the mine from an annual production of 22 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes.

Ore from the mine is then transported to the coast through the Hamersley & Robe River railway, where it is loaded onto ships. The 30 kilometre spur line connecting the mine with Rio Tinto's existing railway system was named "Lang Hancock Railway" in honor of Lang Hancock, founder of Hancock Prospecting and discoverer of the iron ore deposit.

The mine's workforce is on a fly-in fly-out roster. In 2009, the mine employed 787 people, an increase in comparison to 2008, when it only employed 453.

Rio Tinto declared its intention to expand the mine, spending a further A$1.78 billion on the Hope Downs 4 project, scheduled to produce 15 million tonnes of iron ore annually by 2013.

In popular culture

In June 2018, Australian indie rock band Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever named their debut album Hope Downs after the vast mining complex, explaining that it evoked the notion of "standing at the edge of the void of the big unknown, and finding something to hold on to".

References

References

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5. (April 2017). UNCTAD]] website, published: 30 July 2010, accessed: 7 November 2010
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14. [http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/hope-downs-deal-sees-wheel-turn-full-circle/2005/07/04/1120329382009.html Hope Downs deal sees wheel turn full circle] ''[[The Age]]'', published: 5 July 2005, accessed: 7 November 2010
15. [http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-business/rio-tinto-to-invest-178b-in-hope-downs-20100830-14704.html Rio Tinto to invest $1.78b in Hope Downs] ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'', published: 30 August 2010, accessed: 7 November 2010
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17. "Hope Downs CD".