CSI Mining Services – a wholly owned subsidiary of MinRes – is now progressing mining, processing and haulage activities at the site.
An open pit mine with a capacity of seven million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), Lamb Creek is expected to extend the Pilbara Hub’s current production profile by over five years, with an improved cost profile.
Lamb Creek hosts high-grade Brockman-style bedded iron mineralisation within the Hamersley Province's Dales Gorge Member.
Mining will be carried out across four stages over the life of the pit, with sequencing designed to maximise in-pit backfilling, reducing the site's footprint and improving rehabilitation outcomes once mining is complete.
Exploration is continuing across the surrounding tenements, with the potential for nearby discoveries to extend the life of the operation further.
Extending MinRes’ presence in the region
Located on Banjima Country, the Lamb Creek project is 120km north-west of Newman and just 50km from MinRes’ Iron Valley operation.
Product from both sites is hauled to the Port of Port Hedland for blending and exporting through Utah Point.
MinRes Commodity Manager Francis Gilbert said Lamb Creek played an important role in the company’s Iron Ore division.
“With Wonmunna winding down and Lamb Creek picking up, it enables us to continue blending ore with Iron Valley to supply product to our customers,” Gilbert said.
“Our Engineering and Construction team has delivered a sensational product on time and while they were doing that, we ramped-up the mine.
“I’m proud and happy with the team we’ve got. They rock up with a smile on their face, they’re resilient and work safely to execute results.”
By extending its presence in the region, MinRes will continue supporting the towns of Port Hedland and Newman, with several local community organisations benefiting from MinRes community investment efforts.
Efficient and safe development
MinRes Engineering and Construction team broke ground at the site in December 2025 and safely achieved first ore on ship just three months later, demonstrating speed and efficiency benefits from the company's in-house capability.
The team’s scope included the development of the fixed crushing plant, 200-person village, mine access road and several non-process infrastructure assets, including multiple workshops, tyre changing facility, heavy and light vehicle washdown areas and administration buildings.
The sealed mine access road was constructed to Main Roads WA standards and includes a heavy vehicle intersection at the Great Northern Highway, including a 1.4km acceleration lane allowing trucks bound for the Port of Port Hedland to get up to speed.
The Lamb Creek village utilised existing assets from MinRes’ former Koolyanobbing operation, which were all refurbished and upgraded ahead of installation.
Designed in-house and fabricated by CSI Mining Services’ Kwinana workshop, the fixed plant features a modular design and produces both a lump and fines product.
MinRes Project Manager Tymon McDonald said handing over the project to operations marked the end of a long journey.
“We started to work on this project five years ago, understanding what the approvals would be and what Lamb Creek might look like as the designs matured,” McDonald said.
“We worked collaboratively with other business units to achieve the ultimate goal of exporting ore safely off site – during construction we were building the fixed crushing plant while crushing using the mobile crusher and hauling off a temporary mine access road, all while constructing the Lamb Creek village.
“We had a fantastic team on site. These team members have been within the business for over 10 years and several have come from Onslow Iron and other major projects in the business to help us develop this in such a rapid time.”
As a core part of the MinRes' Iron Ore division, the Pilbara Hub is forecast to produce 10-11 million tonnes (Mt) in FY27 at a Free on Board (FOB) cost of $74-79 per tonne. In FY26, the Hub produced 9.9Mt, at the upper end of guidance.
Learn more about MinRes’ Pilbara Hub.
