IRON MINES AND MINING – WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Rio bolsters copper production, eyes data centre building boom

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 22-Apr-26

Rio Tinto shipped 72.3 million tonnes of iron ore from the Pilbara in the March quarter; this was higher than the same period in 2025, despite the disruptions caused by cyclones. Rio Tinto still expects to achieve its full-year guidance of between 323 million and 338 million tonnes for 2026. Rio Tinto has estimated that the 70 per cent rise in diesel prices since the start of the Iran war will add about $US1 to the cost of producing each tonne of iron ore in the Pilbara; the iron ore price has risen by about 12 per cent since the war began. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto produced a higher-than-expected 229,000 tonnes of copper during the March quarter; demand for copper is rising in the US as technology companies ramp up their investment in AI infrastructure such as data centres.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

BHP’s iron ore head issues dire IR warning

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Original article by Tom Rabe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 21-Apr-26

BHP’s iron ore asset president Tim Day has warned that the re-unionisation of the Pilbara is probably inevitable and it is likely to happen regardless of what BHP does. Day also told an event hosted by the Chamber of Minerals & Energy of Western Australia that the re-unionisation of the Pilbara under the federal government’s industrial relations reforms will drive investment offshore. Members of the Electrical Trades Union at BHP’s sites in the Pilbara have already imposed partial work bans, while BHP recently lost a High Court bid to appeal against a ruling under the ‘same job same pay’ laws that forced it to increase the pay of 2,000 labour-hire workers in Queensland by up to $30,000 a year.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, THE CHAMBER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

BHP nears end to China iron ore pricing and contracts dispute

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 20 : 15-Apr-26

BHP has declined to comment on media reports that China Mineral Resources Group Company has told a number of steel mills that they can buy some of the resources group’s Pilbara iron ore with US dollars. The possible breakthrough in the dispute, which began when CMRG imposed unofficial bans on BHP’s Jimblebar fines product in 2025, follows a visit to China by BHP’s CEO Mike Henry and his successor Brandon Craig. They are believed to have met with officials from both CMRG and steel giant Baowu. Craig will formally succeed Henry on 1 July, and has indicated that resolving the iron ore dispute is one of his top priorities.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, CHINA MINERAL RESOURCES GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, CHINA BAOWU STEEL GROUP CORPORATION LIMITED

Union boss slams miner over right-of-entry complaints

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 11-Mar-26

BHP’s CEO Mike Henry recently noted that its iron ore mines are dealing with an unprecedented level of right-of-entry requests, amid an ongoing push to re-unionise the Pilbara under the federal goverment’s industrial relations reforms. Unions have in turn criticised BHP’s decision to outsource the processing of Pilbara right-of-entry requests to the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Western Australia, noting that rivals such as Rio Tinto still do this in-house. The CCIWA has advised that it processed 844 right-of-entry requests for BHP’s mines in 2025, while it has processed 168 so far in 2026.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INCORPORATED), RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Standoff with China buyer is hurting iron ore prices: BHP

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 21-Jan-26

BHP has advised that its iron ore division achieved an average realised price of $US84.71 per tonne in the December quarter. This is four per cent higher than the same period in 2024, although it represents a large discount to the benchmark price. BHP is continuing to hold talks with state-run iron ore trader China Mineral Resources Group on annual contract terms, and BHP has acknowledged that the long-running dispute has affected the price it receives for the iron ore it ships from the Pilbara. BHP has also advised that the first stage of its Jansen potash project in Canada is now expected to cost $US8.4bn ($12.5bn); this compares with a previous forecast of between $US7bn and $US7.4bn.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, CHINA MINERAL RESOURCES GROUP COMPANY LIMITED

Rio Tinto starts work on last crown jewel in Pilbara

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Original article by Tom Rabe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 17-Dec-25

Rio Tinto and its partners in the Rhodes Ridge iron project in the Pilbara will spend $US191m ($294m) on a feasibility study, with a view to commencing production in 2030. They will spend a further $US146m on exploration at Rhodes Ridge between 2026 and 2028. Japan-base Mitsui paid $8.4bn for a 40 per cent stake in Rhodes Ridge earlier in 2025; AMB Holdings, the private company of Perth billionaire Angela Bennett, has a 10 per cent stake. Rhodes Ridge has an estimated 6.8 billion tonnes of high-grade ore, and it has the potential for annual production about 100 million tonnes of high-quality iron ore

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, AMB HOLDINGS PTY LTD

China and Australia in new rare earths and iron ore disputes

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Original article by Tim Treadgold
Forbes – Page: Online : 26-Nov-25

Northern Minerals is concerned that Chinese investors may have failed to comply with a federal government directive to divest shares in the rare earths miner. Its Browns Range project contains heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium, and Northern Minerals is in talks with the US government-owned Export-Import Bank regarding a $US250m loan to help finance further work at the undeveloped project. In separate but potentially related action – given that China is a common link – media reports have suggested that the China Mineral Resources Group has extended a ban on steel mills purchasing certain types of iron ore from BHP. CMRG initially banned BHP’s Jimbelbar fines earlier this year, but this is said to have been expanded to include Jingbao fines.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN MINERALS LIMITED – ASX NTU, CHINA MINERAL RESOURCES GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

BHP sees resilient iron ore demand as China slows

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Original article by Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 22-Oct-25

BHP has advised that its Pilbara iron ore production totalled 64 million tonnes in the September quarter, which is one per cent lower than the same period in 2024. The lower output has been attributed to repair work at its Port Hedland infrastructure, but BHP says it is still on track to achieve its full-year production guidance of between 258 million tonnes and 269 million tonnes for 2025-26. BHP expects global demand for iron ore to remain strong, despite expectations of slowing growth in China and the ongoing but yet-to-be confirmed reports that China has banned BHP’s iron ore imports. BHP’s copper production rose by four per cent year-on-year.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

US, China trade tensions driving iron ore price surge: Rio Tinto

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 15-Oct-25

Data from S&P Global Platts shows that the price of iron ore with 62 per cent iron content has risen to its highest level since 21 February; the price of benchmark iron ore has also risen by 18 per cent since 25 June. Rio Tinto says demand for iron ore is holding up despite the trade tensions between the US and China. Rio Tinto shipped 84.3 million tonnes of Pilbara iron ore in the September quarter, putting it back on track to achieve its full-year target of 323 million tonnes following storm disruptions in early 2025; however, Rio Tinto will need to ship 88 million tonnes in the December quarter.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, S&P GLOBAL PLATTS

Rio, Japanese in Pilbara mine deal

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Original article by Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 8-Oct-25

Rio Tinto has secured state and federal government approvals to develop new iron ore deposits at the West Angelas hub in the Pilbara. Rio Tinto and its Robe River joint venture partners, Mitsui and Nippon Steel, will invest $US733m ($1.1bn) to expand the West Angelas mine, with Rio Tinto to contribute $US389m. The expansion of West Angelas will maintain its annual production capacity of 35 million tonnes. Rio Tinto launched its Western Range iron ore joint venture with China-based Baowu in June, as part of its ongoing commitment to the Pilbara.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, NIPPON STEEL AND SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION, CHINA BAOWU STEEL GROUP CORPORATION LIMITED