Middleback range

Arium Limited operates iron ore open pit mines in the Middleback Range in South Australia near the town of Whyalla. The iron ore sourced from the mines is from magnetite and haematite ore deposits that is used for domestic and overseas steel production. Some of the ore, in the form of blended pellets and fines, is transported by ship to Newcastle and Port Kembla in New South Wales.

Expansion Program Extends Middleback Range Mine's Life
The company undertook a substantive expansion program in 2005 called 'Project Magnet.' This expansion extended the life of the mine for a further seven years, to beyond 2027. It included the processing of magnetite to steel at the Whyalla Steelworks and selling the high quality haematite ore on the world market.

The first phase of the expansion program was completed in 2008 with the production of 4.4 million tonnes of haematite producing 1.3 million tonnes of steel. Phase two of the program concentrated on lifting iron ore sales and in 2009 the target set of five million tonnes was exceeded. Iron ore sales today is in excess of six million tonnes a year. Phase two also included the beginning of an extensive exploration program to increase iron ore resources and reserves with the intention to extend the mining operation. Exploration drilling at the Iron Duchess North, Iron Baron, Iron Princess, Iron Monarch and Iron Knob proved successful along with that of the new Iron Chieftan mine that opened in 2010. Arrium Limited is therefore confident it has sufficient ore in reserve to maintain external sales at six million tonnes for another 10 years.

BGC Contracting Awarded Contract to Operate South Middleback Range Mine
In November 2012, BGC Contracting, was awarded a five year contract to provide mining services to Arrium's iron ore operations in the South Middleback Range. The contract included the drilling and blasting, the mining of the ore and the haulage. It also required BGC to average 1.3 million bank cubic metres (bcm) to be removed each year of the contract term. The initial mining fleet was comprised of five 250 tonne excavator, thirty 150 tonne dump trucks and six WA900 loaders along with other necessary mining equipment.

Middleback Range Divided Into Four Areas
The Middleback Range mining area operated by Arrium is divided into four distinct areas, these are the following:
1. Southern South Middleback Range that includes the Iron Duke, Iron Magnet and Iron Duchess open cut mining operations
2. Northern South Middleback Range that encompasses the Iron Knight, and Iron Chieftain mines
3. Iron Baron that includes the Iron Baron, Iron Prince, Iron Queen and Iron Cavalier mining operations, the Ore Beneficiation Plant and reworking of the Waste Rock Dumps
4. Iron Knob that encompasses the Corunna region and the Iron Knob mine

Arrium Limited is a company formerly known as OneSteel that was established by BHP in 2000. At that time it was mainly a domestic steel manufacturer and distributor. Today it exports six million tonnes of haematite ore to China every year from its Middleback Range operations. It is planned to increase this to 11 million tonnes a year by mid 2013. The port facilities at Whyalla has doubled its port capacity to allow it to handle a maximum of 12 million tonnes of iron ore a year.
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