Pilbara Iron is a wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational Rio Tinto Group

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...

, that manages assets for Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, and Robe River Iron Associates, an unincorporated joint venture between Rio (53% and operator since 2000) and three Japanese steel companies Mitsui Iron Ore Development P/L (33%), Nippon Steel Australia P/L (10.5%) and Sumitomo Metal Australia P/L (3.5%). They are involved in the mining

Mining

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...

 of iron ore, predominantly from the Pilbara region of Western Australia

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...

. In 2004, Rio Tinto announced that Robe and Hamersley would start merging operations under the new Pilbara Iron entity. The concept had been tested by the formation of Pilbara Rail in 2001, which generated more than $16 million in savings. Pilbara Rail was folded into Pilbara Iron in 2005. Each company continues to market products separately and retains ownership and profits from the underlying mines, as well as strategic development of their own mineral resources.

Current mine sites

Mine sites currently operating:

• 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....
  
   (2010)
• 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....
  
   (2010)
• Hope Downs mine
  Hope Downs mine
  The Hope Downs mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 100 kilometres northwest of Newman.The mine is partly owned and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
  
   (2007)
• Eastern Range mine
  Eastern Range mine
  The Eastern Range mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 10 kilometres south-east of Paraburdoo.The mine is partly owned and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
  
   (2004)
• Nammuldi mine
  Nammuldi mine
  The Nammuldi mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 60 kilometres north-west of Tom Price.The mine is fully owned and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
  
   (2003)
• West Angelas mine
  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...
  
   (2002)
• Yandicoogina mine
  Yandicoogina mine
  The Yandicoogina mine, often shortened to Yandi, is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 95 kilometres north-west of Newman. it should not be confused with BHP Billiton's Yandi mine, which is located nearby....
  
   (1998)
• Mesa J mine
  Mesa J mine
  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 and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
  
   (1994)
• Marandoo mine
  Marandoo mine
  The Marandoo mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 45 kilometres east of Tom Price.The mine is fully owned 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...
  
   (1994)
• Brockman mine
  Brockman mine
  The Brockman mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 60 kilometres north-west of Tom Price. It is sometimes also referred to as Brockman 2 mine to differentiate between it and Rio Tinto's new Brockman 4 mine project, also in the area.The mine is fully owned and...
  
   (1992)
• Channar mine
  Channar mine
  The Channar mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 17 kilometres south-east of Paraburdoo.The mine is partly owned and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore and is one of twelve iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
  
   (1990)
• Paraburdoo mine
  Paraburdoo mine
  The Paraburdoo mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, near Paraburdoo.The mine is fully owned 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...
  
   (1972)
• Mount Tom Price mine
  Mount Tom Price mine
  The Mount Tom Price mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, near Tom Price.The mine is fully owned 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...
  
   (1966)

All iron ore mined at the sites is transported by one of the world's largest privately owned railroads to either the port of Dampier, Western Australia

Dampier, Western Australia

Dampier is a major industrial port in the north-west of Western Australia. The Dampier Port is part of the Dampier Archipelago. The port services petrochemical, salt, iron ore and natural gas export industries. Rio Tinto exports large volumes of iron ore through the port, and in September 2010...

 or Cape Lambert

Cape Lambert

Cape Lambert is a port facility operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is located 40 kilometres north of Karratha.-Overview:...

 near Wickham, Western Australia

Wickham, Western Australia

Wickham is a townsite located 1,572 km north of Perth and 13 km north of Roebourne in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.-History:...

. From there the ore is shipped across the world, with China and Japan the largest markets as of 2007. Demand continues to be strong, with price increases and new infrastructure to raise production predicted for the next few years.

Historical events

• May 1967 - Hamersly Holdings Limited shares on the ASX
• September 1973 - Hamersley Japan Limited incorporated
• May 1974 - Hamersley Europe Pty. Limited incorporated

External links

• www.pilbarairon.com/