$4bn Port Hedland Iron Project given the green light for development

Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has given the green light to the development of a $4 billion hot briquetted iron plant at Port Hedland. 

The proposed Port Hedland Iron (PHI) facility – formerly known as Port Hedland Green Steel Project – will be located in the Boodarie Strategic Industrial Area (BSIA), about 10 kilometres south-west of Port Hedland. 

Project location (source: Port Hedland Iron)

The facility will consist of a pellet plant and a hot briquette iron (HBI) plant that will consume approximately 3 to 3.5 Mtpa of iron ore. 

The overall project is proposed to include: 

• Iron ore processing facility comprising one pellet and one HBI plant producing approximately 2Mtpa of HBI and 0.7 Mtpa of iron ore pellets 

• Hydrogen production and storage facilities for supply to the iron ore processing facility 

• Nitrogen plant 

• Supporting infrastructure such as: 

• • HBI and pellet handling and storage facilities 

• • Flux storage 

• • Administration and other non-process buildings 

• • Workshops 

• • Water storage areas 

• • Magnetite concentrate handling facilities 

• • Power production, management and transmission 

• • Carbon capture, storage and transport infrastructure 

• • Drainage and sediment control 

• • Access roads 

Proposed facilities on site (source: Port Hedland Iron)

The large-scale iron ore processing facility delivered through this project will help supply low carbon emissions reduced iron ore to major steel manufacturers globally. 

The project also aims to be powered by renewabled by 2050. 

Port Hedland Iron Project is still subject to further approvals before it can proceed to the development phase. 

This proposed $4 billion project is anticipated to generate 1,603 construction jobs and 400 operational jobs. 

Source: ABC News; Australian Mining; Government of Western Australia – Environmental Protection Authority; Port Hedland Iron (1, 2)