Mineral Resources Marks Major Milestone at its Iron Valley operations in Western Australia. The company recently completed the safe and successful first blast at the North Pit. This step signals the beginning of a new development phase at one of MinRes’ key mining sites.
A targeted drilling program has already been finalised. Strip activities are now underway to prepare the North Pit for crushing and processing the first ore. This progress ensures Iron Valley continues as a central part of MinRes’ iron ore portfolio in the Pilbara.
Iron Valley and the Central Pilbara Hub
Iron Valley is located 75 kilometres northwest of Newman and is MinRes’ oldest continuously operating iron ore mine. Together with Wonmunna and Lamb Creek, Iron Valley forms the company’s Central Pilbara hub. The hub has an annual production capacity of 10 million tonnes (Mtpa) across the three sites, strengthening MinRes’ presence in the iron ore industry.
What is the Strategic Importance of North Pit?
Joe Brown, general manager of MinRes Central Pilbara, highlighted the importance of this step.
“Once operational, the North Pit will join the Eastern and Central Pits in producing iron ore at Iron Valley as a critical part of our Central Pilbara hub,” he said.
He added, “This is another important milestone for our Central Pilbara team, who has enjoyed a successful year and included milestones such as loading our largest ship to date at Utah Point and setting a record for lump load out.”
Iron Valley Holds a Strong Resource and Reserve Base
Iron Valley recently reported significant mineral resources and ore reserves. As of 30 June 2025, maiden mineral resources stand at 161 million tonnes (Mt) at 57 per cent iron. The site also contains ore reserves of 51 Mt at 57.5 per cent iron. These strong figures demonstrate the long-term potential of Iron Valley within MinRes’ broader iron ore operations.