Australia’s iron ore oligarchs might have hogged the headlines, but Gina Rinehart, Andrew Forrest and Chris Ellison aren’t the only ones enjoying fantastic dividends after the nation’s most important export industry enjoyed its annus mirabilis.

The biggest five exporters of Australian iron ore have already declared dividends totalling $59.5 billion for the year to June 30, and that could grow further when Mrs Rinehart’s Roy Hill Holdings publishes its accounts in coming months.