MinRes has commenced implementation of the Lamb Creek iron ore project

Australia’s Mineral Resources (MinRes) began implementing its Lamb Creek iron ore mining project in December this year, according to Mining Magazine.

The project aims to extend the life of the company’s Pilbara Hub by more than five years.

After receiving regulatory approvals, MinRes plans to extract the first ore by the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year (April-June 2026).

The new quarry has an annual capacity of 7.5 million tons per year. It is located near the existing Iron Valley facility, allowing MinRes to blend production from both sites for export.

MinRes is using its own engineering and construction teams to build the necessary infrastructure, including a crushing plant and a 16-kilometer haul road.

“The development of Lamb Creek supports our five-year outlook for the Pilbara Hub, which plays an important role in the company’s iron ore portfolio,” said Chris Soccio, MinRes’ chief executive officer for iron ore mining.

The Lamb Creek development coincides with the planned closure of the Wonmunna iron ore operation, which was acquired by MinRes in the 2020/2021 financial year as an undeveloped asset. The company delivered its first ore from there within five months of commencing operations and has since mined from nine pits at the site and exported more than 26 million tonnes of raw materials.

The Pilbara Hub’s production forecast for the 2025/2026 financial year is 9-10 million tonnes.

Rio Tinto, together with its partners Mitsui and Nippon Steel, is investing $733 million in the development of the West Angelas Sustaining project as part of a joint venture in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Rio Tinto’s share of the financing is $389 million. The project has received all necessary approvals from federal and regional authorities and involves the development of new iron ore deposits within the West Angelas hub.