As the largest commodities project MinRes has developed, Onslow Iron is harnessing in-house innovation and expertise to unlock stranded iron ore in the West Pilbara region. The project will ramp up to 35 million tonnes per year (Mtpa), with an expected mine life of more than 30 years.
Since the project achieved first ore on ship ahead of schedule in May 2024, development across all aspects of its innovative pit to ship supply chain has supported Onslow Iron’s production ramp-up to nameplate capacity.
Marine and port operations
At the Port of Ashburton, the project’s marine and port infrastructure continues to play a critical role in the supply chain, harnessing innovative 20,000-tonne shallow transhippers to ferry ore to ocean going vessels (OGVs) anchored 40km offshore from the Port of Ashburton.
During the March quarter, MinRes expanded its transhipping fleet with the arrival of a fourth vessel, MinRes Rosily, which commenced operations in March 2025. A fifth transhipper, MinRes Peak, also arrived in Australia in early May 2025 and is undergoing commissioning works. Once fully operational, MinRes’ fleet of five transhippers is set to deliver total capacity of 35Mtpa.
While 19 OGVs were loaded and 3.6Mt shipped over the April quarter, performance was impacted by several cyclones which caused significant disruptions and more than two weeks in lost transhipping days.
Other recent highlights for Onslow Iron’s port operations included the first loading a Newcastlemax ship and very large ore carrier, while an ongoing focus on safety saw the port operations team achieve 365 days without a lost time injury.
Recent efforts have contributed to the project’s transhipping operations exceeding 10 million tonnes loaded onto OGVs within 12 months, reinforcing the reliability and efficiency of MinRes’ unique transhipping marine solution.
Mining and processing
At the Ken’s Bore mine site, 150km inland, targeting drilling and a successful first blast at a nearby deposit – Cardo Bore East – marked another key milestone for Onslow Iron.
Further works are under way to prepare Cardo Bore East for mining and haulage activity which, once operational, will deliver another high-grade iron ore deposit linked to the Ken’s Bore crushing and processing facility by a dedicated private haul road currently under construction.
Additionally, progress at Ken’s Bore has been supported by the site’s state-of-the art laboratory – commissioned in late 2024 and now in full operation – providing critical support for Onslow Iron’s mine planning.
The laboratory features Automated Modular Solution (AMS) Prep Line technology, developed and installed by industry-leader Rocklabs, with samples passed through several automated stations to provide iron ore grade levels from drilling activities.
The first of its type in the mining industry, Onslow Iron’s AMS Prep Line setup has delivered immediate benefits for the project, including doubling sampling capacity to 500 per day and reducing repetitive and manual processes.
The final crushing plant was also recent constructed at Ken’s Bore, with the site’s truck load out circuit now operational, supporting ongoing progress in project ramp-up.
Haulage
MinRes continues to progress updates to the dedicated 150km private haul road linking Ken’s Bore to the Port of Ashburton, which includes a combination of foam and cement stabilisation and asphalting to future-proof the asset.
Haulage has continued in both directions during these works with traffic management in place and upgrades remain on schedule for completion.
In the March quarter, more than 16,200 road train trips were completed and 3.5 million tonnes hauled from Ken’s Bore to the Port of Ashburton.
Autonomous haulage testing also progresses at Ken’s Bore, with MinRes also having received the final prime mover converted to autonomous technology from project partner Hexagon.
Facilities
A continued focus on setting new industry benchmarks for facilities, flights and food has driven significant progress developing the Ken’s Bore Resort, which recently completed construction.
All resort residents are now accommodated in significantly larger rooms boasting a queen-size bed, kitchenette and a washing machine and dryer.
Additionally, resort amenities including pool, football oval, mini golf, gym, recreation room, restaurant, cafe and tavern are now operational – supporting a safe, comfortable and enjoyable experience for Onslow Iron’s remote workforce.
Community
While Onslow Iron underpins the company’s transition to low-cost, long-life iron ore operations and harnesses in-house innovation, its success is also supported by deep partnerships with local Indigenous suppliers.
By integrating Indigenous-owned enterprises across its supply chain, MinRes is demonstrating how the resource sector can encourage generational change in Indigenous communities.
In April 2025, the company and its Onslow Iron project was pleased to feature on the cover of Indigenous Business Review – Australia's first magazine dedicated to the Indigenous Business Sector in Australia – showcasing Thalanyji and Robe River Kuruma (RRK) businesses supporting this transformational project.
On the ground, MinRes also celebrated the launch of new cultural awareness training for Onslow Iron employees delivered by RRK Traditional Owners.
Learn more about Onslow Iron.
