Orebody 29

Orebody 29 is an open cut mine in Western Australia that is jointly owned by BHP Billiton and two Japanese companies; Itochu Corporation and Mitsui and Company Limited. It is situated four kilometres from the Pilbara mining town of Newman, where the mine workers reside. Many live in Newman with their families while others choose to fly in from other areas and live in single accommodation while completing their shifts at the mine before being flown home again. Newman is not your usual mining town as it is much more akin to any suburb surrounding any Australian city. It allows miners and their families to enjoy all the benefits of modern living while working in the Australian outback.

Orebody 29's Major Shareholder BHP Billiton is one of the Worlds's Leading Iron ore Suppliers
BHP Billiton is one of the worlds leading suppliers of iron ore, most of it being mined in the Pilbara where its employs over 13,000 people in numerous open pit mines that are mainly supported from Newman. The mining operations are, in turn, supported by a 1,000 kilometre railway that is also owned by the company that takes the ore to Port Hedland where it is exported to the company's customers throughout the world.

Orebody 29 is Located Adjacent to the Massive Mount Whaleback Mining Operation
Orebody 29 is located near the massive Mt Whaleback open cut mining operation that began producing iron ore in 1968 and is now the largest single open pit mine in the world expanding over five kilometres in length and one and a half kilometres in width. Orebody 29 is a satellite pit to the larger Mt Whaleback operation, other nearby smaller pits include Orebodies 30 and 35. Smaller pits again that are situated further out from Newman are Orebodies 18, 23, 24 and 25 and the Wheelarra open pit mine. The next further out iron ore mines that are also owned by BHP Billiton are located at a distance of 100 kilometres from Newman these include; Area C and Yandi. There is also the Yarrie open pit iron ore mine that is being operated 200 kilometres east of the ship loading facilities at Port Hedland.

Orebody 29's Three Joint Venture Partners Have Been Together Since the Beginning
Orebody 29 part owners, Itochu Corporation and Mitsui and Company Limited has been working with BHP Billiton ever since they began the Mt Newman iron ore joint venture, in the Pilbara Region in Western Australia, in 1967. Mitsui is also involved with Rio Tinto iron ore interests in the Pilbara through its 33 percent shareholding in the Robe River joint venture. BHP Billiton have major shareholding interests in 12 iron ore operation throughout the Pilbara region, over 1,000 kilometres of railway, and two separate ship loading and other facilities at Port Hedland.

Mining at Newman was Started by Bechtel Pacific
Prior to Orebody 29 becoming a major mining operation in its own right, United States mining company Bechtel Pacific opened the nearby Mount Whaleback mining operation, constructed the mining town of Newman and put in place 426 kilometres of railway known as the Mount Newman Railway. The first train loaded with Newman ore left the mine on January 1, 1969, with it being exported out of the Port Hedland on board the ìOsumi Maruî on April 1,1969.