Early work has begun on the first phase of the Middlebeck Ranges Magnetite Expansion Project (MEP1), aimed at securing a long-term supply of iron ore for the Whyalla smelter in South Australia, according to a joint press release from Peter Malinauskas, Premier of South Australia, and Tim Ayres, Australia's Minister for Industry and Innovation and Science Minister. Geotechnical drilling has begun at Iron Duke, approximately 56km from Whyalla, as part of planned construction work to expand magnetite mining capacity.
The project is designed to secure the supply of magnetite required by the Whyalla smelter and support future ambitions to transition to cleaner, low-emission iron and steel production. Once completed, MEP1 is expected to produce up to 2.5 million tonnes of magnetite annually and extend the life of the mine by more than 20 years, supporting more than 300 jobs.
Joint government support of $20 million
The project is supported by a $20 million loan jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments, as part of a wider funding package in $275 million announced last year.
This follows the government's $2.4 billion Sovereign Steel Package introduced after the steelworks' owner, GFG Alliance, was put into administration a year ago.
Advancement of sale process
Sale of Whyalla steelworks entered the final mandatory bidding stage with five domestic and international industrial groups
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