A proposal to produce iron pellets and hot briquette iron for export has been recommended for approval by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), subject to conditions to support the ongoing protection of conservation-significant fauna.
The Port Hedland Iron Pty Ltd proposal is to develop a downstream iron ore processing facility in the Boodarie Strategic Industrial Area (SIA), about 10km south-west of Port Hedland.
EPA Chair Darren Walsh said the location of the proposal, as well as its use of advanced direct-reduction iron technology for processing iron ore, was consistent with good environmental practice.
“The EPA acknowledges that aggregating development proposals within SIAs offers improved environmental benefits by promoting resource efficiency and minimising impacts,” he said. “And the use of the direct-reduction iron technology will result in a significantly reduced rate of associated GHG emissions at start-up in comparison to a conventional blast furnace method fuelled by coking coal, with further reductions expected as hydrogen becomes available.”
The EPA report, published today, also noted the broader potential of the proposal to act as an enabler of the renewable hydrogen industry in Western Australia.
The Port Hedland Iron Project — being developed with POSCO (Korea), Marubeni (Japan), and China Steel Corporation (Taiwan) — aims to decarbonise the steel manufacturing supply chain with production of low carbon hot briquetted iron for export to Asia from Port Hedland.
As a new facility with annual emissions over 100,000 tCO2-e the proposal will be subject to the Safeguard Mechanism, however the EPA has recommended a condition that requires periodic reporting on the implementation of carbon abatement measures consistent with the proponent’s commitments. The reporting would also be required to include the rate of hydrogen integration in the context of the status of the domestic hydrogen market.
The EPA’s report to the Minister for Environment is now open for a three-week public appeal period, closing 8 September 2025. Appeals should be directed to the Office of the Appeals Convenor. The Minister for Environment will make the final decision on the proposal. EPA Report 1789 can be found on the EPA website.
EPA Media Contact: Jenni.Storey@dwer.wa.gov.au; 0434 734 997
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