• Production lifts at Australia's largest single-pit iron ore mine
• Project employs almost 2,000 people

State Development Minister Bill Marmion has today toured the Roy Hill project, the State's newest - and the nation's biggest - single-pit iron ore mine.
 
"Roy Hill celebrated its first shipment in December 2015, and is now in the process of ramping up to its full production capacity of 55 million tonnes per annum," Mr Marmion said.
 
"At full capacity, five ore trains per day will run between the mine and port facilities at Port Hedland, all controlled via Roy Hill's state-of-the-art remote operations centre in Perth.
 
"This mine is the latest to showcase Western Australia's global leadership in automation and mining technology."
 
The Minister said the Roy Hill project would yield significant royalties, which would benefit all WA taxpayers through the provision of infrastructure and essential services including schools, police and health facilities across the State.
 
"This mine is expected to operate for more than two decades," he said.
 
"It has already generated extensive economic benefits for the State, with the construction workforce peaking at 6,000 and ongoing operations employing almost 2,000 people.
 
"Roy Hill also has an outstanding local content record, with 72 per cent of all project expenditure, $6.6 billion, spent or committed within WA during construction."
 
Western Australia is the world's largest producer of iron ore, accounting for 37 per cent of global production in 2014. Annual production is forecast to grow by three per cent each year to 2018-19, bolstered by projects such as Roy Hill.
 
"The Western Australian Government has been a strong supporter of this project, working closely with the proponents to facilitate all necessary approvals and negotiating a State Agreement for the railway," Mr Marmion said.
 
"Roy Hill is another example of WA's outstanding capacity to attract international investment that benefits a wide range of West Australians, especially from key trading partners such as China, Japan and Korea."


Fact File

• Roy Hill is located 115km north of Newman
• It comprises an open pit mine, processing plant, 344km of heavy haul railway, export facilities at Port Hedland and remote operations centre in Redcliffe
• The mine's expected operating life is more than 20 years
• Roy Hill is majority owned by Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd, with a consortium of international investors including Marubeni Corporation, POSCO and China Steel Corporation