When it comes to iron ore around 98% of the Economic Demonstrated Resources in Australia comes from Western Australia. That adds up to almost thirty billion tonnes. The majority of this and one of the largest iron ore regions in the world comes from the Hamersley Province.
Western Australia is home to some of the mining industries major players, as well as mid-tier, and small producers as well. From 2016-2017, iron ore sales were valued at almost $64 billion with almost 800 million tonnes. It’s the most common metal in the world and is also a key ingredient in the steel making process. If you want to produce 1,000 kg of steel, then you’ll need 1,400 kg of iron ore. It can be alloyed with other elements to produce harder and stronger products. This makes it particularly useful for the construction industry. It’s also commonly used to manufacture railway tracks and trains, vehicles, pipelines, ships, and more.
It’s believed that Australia is home to the largest reserve of iron ore, with Russia, Brazil, and China following behind. Although, China’s iron ore is a lower grade. When Western Australia’s iron ore haul is compared to the rest of the world, only China was able to produce more. Again, as noted previously it’s a much lower grade. So, the largest global supplier of iron ore is, in fact, Western Australia with Brazil being the closest competition.
One of the biggest things to consider before embarking on an iron ore mining career is that you first have to research the industry. Most people prove in their application that they haven’t done this. Start at the beginning and learn everything you can about the mining you are interested in. Learn about the mines, the region, the companies that operate in the location, and that’s just for starters.
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