The proposal is to expand Fortescue Metals' current operations within the Pilbara region, Western Australia to include the development of a new iron ore project, known as the Io Project, which is located within the Nyidinghu Study Area. The Project is located on Marillana Station approximately 40 kilometres (km) south of Fortescue’s Cloudbreak operations and approximately 100 km north-west of Newman.
The major components of the Project are:
- An iron ore mine and resource comprising Brockman Iron Formation which is premised on a maximum of 11.4 Million tonnes (Mt) of Bedded Iron Ore (BID) that will be extracted.
- Mine infrastructure including one mine pit, one temporary waste dump, crushing and screening hub, drainage and haul road.
- All ore will be Direct Shipping Ore, with crushing and screening on site with an expected production rate of up to 6 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).
- Ore will be transported by road to the existing Cloudbreak Mine.
- The temporary waste dump will be located alongside the single pit and will be a maximum of 17.5 Mt.
- Production of water supply for potable water and dust suppression will be required from three production bores.
- Supporting infrastructure including an access road, accommodation camp, administration offices, waste water treatment plant and power generation.
The life of mine is expected to be approximately 4 years.
