Iron Boomerang
Encyclopedia
The Iron Boomerang is a proposed transcontinental railway in northern Australia
. The 3000 kilometres (1,864.1 mi), $A
6.5 billion railway line would link the coal-rich areas of northern Queensland
with the iron ore producing areas of the Pilbara, Western Australia
. A key component of the $A
55 billion proposal is the construction of blast furnaces
at either end of the line, with potential transport and handling cost savings. The proponents, East West Line Parks, have completed detailed feasibility and alignment studies, and hope to begin acquiring land for the first leg in 2011.
The proposed route would begin at the Goonyella railway line in Queensland, terminating at the Mount Newman railway
in Western Australia.
Northern Australia
The term northern Australia is generally known to include two State and Territories, being Queensland and the Northern Territory . The part of Western Australia north of latitude 26° south—a definition widely used in law and State government policy—is also usually included...
. The 3000 kilometres (1,864.1 mi), $A
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
6.5 billion railway line would link the coal-rich areas of northern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
with the iron ore producing areas of the Pilbara, 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...
. A key component of the $A
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
55 billion proposal is the construction of blast furnaces
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
at either end of the line, with potential transport and handling cost savings. The proponents, East West Line Parks, have completed detailed feasibility and alignment studies, and hope to begin acquiring land for the first leg in 2011.
The proposed route would begin at the Goonyella railway line in Queensland, terminating at the Mount Newman railway
Mount Newman railway
The Mount Newman railway, owned and operated by BHP Billiton, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia for the purpose of carrying iron ore...
in Western Australia.