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The Pilbara

Yesterday

Greatland Resources operates the Telfer gold-copper mine in WA’s Pilbara region.

Forrest-backed Greatland’s golden run ends after $1b retreat

The newcomer has dropped out of the top five ASX-listed gold miners after underwhelming investors with a cut to expected production.

This Month

Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest labelled national security “a distraction” from Australia’s trade with China.

Twiggy’s hydrogen pipe dream costing taxpayers $600m

The billionaire has pulled back on the “miracle molecule” as economic realities hit home.

Fortescue founder Andrew Forrest and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

China provides reality check for Forrest’s green iron dream

A domestic green iron industry might mean Australia has to pour in more public funds than the Chinese government, an impossible feat.

The Asian Renewable Energy Hub would be built in Western Australia’s east Pilbara region.

BP ditches $54b Pilbara hydrogen project

The decision makes the British energy major the latest company to walk away from plans for green hydrogen production in Australia.

Simon Trott has gone from a wheat farm to the top of a multinational miner.

From farmer to miner, Rio’s new CEO is a breath of fresh air

When Simon Trott’s parents installed air conditioning in their shearing sheds, their son learnt how to get the best out of staff. Now he has 60,000 of them.

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Ken Henry at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday – he said an economy-wide carbon tax was needed and may happen eventually.

Henry’s big plan for what comes next

The former Treasury secretary failed to have a previous Labor government implement a resources super profits tax, but he has plenty of big ideas for tax reform.

Gina Rinehart, the billionaire executive chairman of Hancock Prospecting, owns multiple beachfronts near Noosa.

Rinehart urges new Rio Tinto CEO to shift miner’s HQ to Perth

One of Rio’s most important mining partners, billionaire Gina Rinehart, says Simon Trott’s elevation to the top job is a chance to shift the company’s headquarters.

Simon Trott is running Rio Tinto’s iron ore operations and will become the company’s chief executive.

Rio Tinto promotes iron ore division chief Simon Trott to CEO

The businessman will succeed Jakob Stausholm at the top of the mining giant and said he would focus on lowering costs and improving asset performance.

June

The facilities at MinRes’ Mungala Resort, which houses employees of its Onslow iron ore project.

MinRes spruiks its $3.5b Onslow project, the ‘Club Med of the Pilbara’

The bank-busting project has the market divided, with its remote location and haulage road troubles. But the mining giant says it’s all blue sky from here.

AFR, MinRes’s Onslow iron ore haul road.

Mineral Resources accused of political posturing in port levy fight

The iron ore miner is contesting the validity of millions of dollars in port levies set to flow to energy giant Chevron.

BHP’s WA iron ore chief Tim Day has doubled down on the miner’s commitment to the Pilbara

Iron ore giants champion Pilbara after Forrest’s ‘wasteland’ warning

BHP says the resource-rich region can adapt to evolving industry trends, with Rio and Hancock Prospecting also hitting back at recent criticism.

The union is pushing for a union deal for maintenance crews at BHP’s Mount Goldsworthy and Newman lines.

BHP sparkies fight for $250k pay standard in the Pilbara

Electricians in the Pilbara are preparing to fight for an 18 per cent pay rise, while critical rail workers have opened up a new union front.

FIFO workers arrive home at Perth Airport after finishing their ‘swing’ at a mining site.

Lavish food and luxury? FIFO workers just want a good night’s sleep

That’s the finding of the most comprehensive study of workers in mining camps, which researchers hope will help resources giants keep staff happy.

Woodside is expanding its Pluto LNG plant in Western Australia to process gas from the Scarborough field.

Unions turn on each other in war over Woodside gas

A vicious fight is playing out on WA’s biggest construction project, raising the spectre of major industrial disruption next year as pay talks get under way.

Jakob Stausholm, chief executive of Rio Tinto Group.

Rio Tinto’s $20b Pilbara investment wave is just getting started

Even with Australia’s higher labour costs and new industrial relations laws, the Pilbara is likely to remain the lowest cost source of new iron ore at scale.

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Unions emboldened by the Labor election landslide have Pilbara mining companies in their sights.

Miners fight back in the Pilbara with cash and lawyers

Rio Tinto and BHP are pushing back against attempts to unionise the iron ore-rich region for the first time in 30 years.

May

MinRes is spending $230m to repair and resurface its damaged Onslow haul road.

Ellison shrugs off MinRes downgrade for haul road charm offensive

The embattled mining magnate personally showed shareholders around Mineral Resources’ $3b Onslow Iron project, shortly after cutting its production forecast.

Environment Minister Murray Watt met with Woodside and other industry figures in Perth last week.

NW Shelf extension confirms Labor’s gas conversion

The Albanese government’s decision to extend the life of Woodside’s massive North West Shelf project signals Labor’s embrace of gas as key to the energy transition.

Andrew Forrest is approaching a big moment for his empire.

Can Labor help the Pilbara go green?

Labor now has a rare, politically unencumbered opportunity to secure the nation’s energy supply, industrial competitiveness and climate transition.

Andrew Forrest at the Financial Review Mining Summit on Wednesday.

Forrest, Rio spar on future of Pilbara iron ore in green steel era

The Fortescue chairman said the world’s biggest iron ore importer was looking at Brazil and Africa, and local mining giants were “going down”.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/the-pilbara-1m5w