PRIMARY FOCUS AND NEAR-TERM PRODUCTION
Cockatoo Island is located in the Kimberley Region off the north-west coast of Western Australia. It is approximately 135km north of Derby.
Iron ore was first recovered from the island in the 1880s. The iron ore deposit has been mined by open pit methods since the early 1950s. The Seawall Pit produced some 45Mt of iron ore between 1951 and 2015, with direct shipping grades as high as 67% iron ore, well above the 62% benchmark fines grade.
Iron ore was first recovered from the island in the 1880s. The iron ore deposit has been mined by open pit methods since the early 1950s. The Seawall Pit produced some 45Mt of iron ore between 1951 and 2015, with direct shipping grades as high as 67% iron ore, well above the 62% benchmark fines grade.
Colourful History
Iron ore rocks were first recovered from the island in the 1880s by pearlers for use as ballast. The records are vague as to who made the connection between great ballast rocks and a potentially mineable resource, only that the first exploration leases in the area were granted in 1907. BHP acquired leases on the island in 1928 and, following a brief period from 1939 to 1945 during which the island was abandoned, began mining in 1950.
Over the last 70 years some 45Mt of high-grade haematite ore has been mined from the island and shipped to smelters in Australia, Japan, Korea, and China.
Iron ore rocks were first recovered from the island in the 1880s by pearlers for use as ballast. The records are vague as to who made the connection between great ballast rocks and a potentially mineable resource, only that the first exploration leases in the area were granted in 1907. BHP acquired leases on the island in 1928 and, following a brief period from 1939 to 1945 during which the island was abandoned, began mining in 1950.
Over the last 70 years some 45Mt of high-grade haematite ore has been mined from the island and shipped to smelters in Australia, Japan, Korea, and China.
Ore deposits at Cockatoo Island (1938)
Iron ore production (circa. 1951)
Rock blasting (1954-1957)
Photo by Murray Phillips, Mine Manager 1954 - 1957
Courtesy of Maggie Phillips
Courtesy of Maggie Phillips
Crushing plant and Ship-loader (1954-1957)
Photo by Murray Phillips, Mine Manager 1954 - 1957
Courtesy of Maggie Phillips
Courtesy of Maggie Phillips
Cockatoo Island (2005)