ICN WA is working with Mineral Resources (MinRes) to identify local suppliers for one of the largest iron ore projects ever undertaken in Western Australia.
The Onslow Iron project, 150 kilometres east of Onslow in the West Pilbara region, is expected to deliver thousands of jobs, billions of dollars of direct local investment and billions of dollars of royalties over the life of the project.
It’s owned through an unincorporated joint venture between project manager MinRes, the China Baowu Steel Group, American Metals and Coal International and South Korean steel manufacturers POSCO. Stage 1 will target an annual capacity of 35Mtpa.
Early works are underway, with first ore on ship targeted as early as December 2023.
In a MinRes press release, Managing Director Chris Ellison said the project would be the cornerstone of the company’s strategy to deliver “low-cost, long-life operations with project economics that are compelling through commodity price cycles”.
“Onslow Iron will be transformational, not just for MinRes but for the state of Western Australia,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to delivering thousands of jobs for Western Australians and investing billions in the economy.
“Importantly, our innovations will drive lower emissions across the project. Onslow Iron has been designed with a low environmental footprint and will be dust-free from pit-to-port.
“We’re also setting a new FIFO standard with our industry first, resort-style accommodation to ensure the physical and mental safety of our people and to encourage more women, and couples, to live on site.”
Manager ICNWA Ray Loh said many more work packages would be released throughout the project, so suppliers interested in the project should make sure they have their notifications set up to ensure they receive the new work alert emails.
For more information, to register for updates or to submit an EOI, go to the Onslow Iron Ore Project Gateway page.
