The major miners look set to cement their status as the dividend stars of the local sharemarket, with the soaring iron ore price only adding to a bedrock of strong balance sheets and windfalls from timely asset sales.

BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group have all rewarded their shareholders with generous dividends in the past few months, and with franking credit refunds now back on the table, investors will continue to enjoy the riches.