QR National is positioning itself to replicate its extensive east coast coal transport rail network in the heartland of Australia’s iron ore mining industry in a move that could unlock more than 100 million tonnes a year of exports from a range of small miners in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

Junior explorer Flinders Mines said yesterday it was in early-stage talks with a logistics and infrastructure provider, understood to be QR National, to haul its expected 15 million tonnes a year of iron ore from 2014.