Fortescue plans to commence construction on its $US2 billion ($3.1 billion) Australian iron ore mine and rail venture in the next three years. As per regulatory filings submitted to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (WA EPA), Fortescue’s Nyidinghu mine Group’s subsidiary, Chichester Metals, intends to establish and run an iron ore mine about 80 kilometers northwest of Newman, WA.
“The Nyidinghu iron ore mine plan encompasses both above and below water table mining pits, on-site ore processing from different sources, storage for waste rock and tailings, an aerodrome, groundwater extraction, managing excess water including aquifer recharge, and additional supporting facilities,” as stated in the WA EPA filing.
“However, the proposal does not cover the necessary transport, electricity, and water pipeline infrastructure needed to link the proposal with existing operations. These infrastructural elements are part of the East Hamersley railway project proposal.”
Subsidiary of Fortescue’s Nyidinghu mine
Another Fortescue subsidiary named Pilbara Infrastructure submitted a proposal to the WA EPA for the construction and operation of the East Hamersley railway project.
This project entails communication and signaling systems, an ore loading facility, groundwater abstraction and discharge processes, borrow pits and quarries, culverts, bridges, diversion drains, a pump station, construction camp, landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and other related infrastructure, as detailed in the WA EPA filing.
The proposal covers the necessary transport, electricity, and water pipeline infrastructure, connecting the Nyidinghu iron ore mine proposal to the existing operations.
According to the Australian Financial Review (AFR), the recent regulatory filings conflict with mining magnate Andrew Forrest’s previous statement in February. He had suggested that the Nyidinghu mine would be deferred to the 2030s.
Forrest had stated in February, “We are pushing Nyidinghu back into the 2030s out of the 2020s and that is because we have had a great deal of exploration success, we are consolidating around our existing operations.”
The AFR noted that Fortescue chose not to provide an official response regarding whether the filed documents with the WA EPA contradicted Forrest’s remarks from February.
Fortescue’s full-year financial results are anticipated to be released on August 28.
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