AUSTRALIA: Fortescue Metals Group held a ceremony on July 5 to officially launch construction of its Eliwana mine and railway in Western Australia.

The US$1·275bn project includes the construction of 143 km of railway to connect the Western Hub mining area to the Solomon Hub on the existing 620 km rail network feeding Port Hedland. Fortescue will also build a 30 mtpa dry iron ore processing facility and associated infrastructure.

Aboriginal-owned company Muntulgura Guruma has been appointed to carry out the access and enabling earthworks to support the rail development, and structural steel fabrication for loading equipment and bridge girders will be undertaken in Western Australia.

The first ore train is expected to run in December 2020. The Eliwana development is expected to produce around 40 mpta of ore for more than 20 years, with a total working life of 24 years.