View source for Wodgina mine

{{Short description|Former iron ore mine in Western Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox mine
| name = Wodgina mine
| image =
| width =
| caption =
| pushpin_map = Western Australia
| pushpin_label = Wodgina mine
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Western Australia
| coordinates = {{coord|21.181141|S|118.675201|E|region:AU-WA|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| place = [[Pilbara]]
| subdivision_type = [[States and territories of Australia|State]]
| state/province = [[Western Australia]]
| country = [[Australia]]
| owner = Mineral Resources Limited
| official website = {{url|www.mineralresources.com.au}}
| acquisition year = 2017
| products = [[Iron ore]] fines,
[[lithium]] direct shipping ore, and [[spodumene]] concentrate{{Not verified in body|date=November 2022}}<!-- none of the lithium/spodumene statements are sourced in article prose -->
| financial year = 2013-2014 (peak year)<ref>{{cite web|title=2015 Annual Report|url=http://www.atlasiron.com.au/site/PDF/5702_0/2015AnnualReport|format=pdf|publisher=Atlas Iron Limited|accessdate=30 May 2018|location=Perth, WA|page=11|date=25 September 2015}}</ref>
| amount = 6,057,086 tonnes
| opening year = 2017
| closing year = 2019 (Care and maintenance)
}}
The '''Wodgina mine''' is an exhausted [[iron ore]] mine located in the [[Pilbara]] region of [[Western Australia]], 90 kilometres south of [[Port Hedland, Western Australia|Port Hedland]].<ref>[http://minedexext.doir.wa.gov.au/minedex/external/common/appMain.jsp MINEDEX website: Wodgina search result] accessed: 24 November 2010</ref>
The mine was operated by [[Atlas Iron]] Limited. The facilities and tenements are shared, by contract, with [[Global Advanced Metals]].
==Overview==
[[File:Iron ore Pilbara 2.svg|180px|thumb|left|Iron ore mines in the [[Pilbara]] region]]
Atlas purchased the iron ore rights for the Wodgina Project from Talison Minerals Pty Ltd, now known as Global Advanced Metals, in February 2008.<ref name="Wod" >[http://www.atlasiron.com.au/IRM/content/projects_wodgina.html Wodgina] Atlas website. Retrieved 24 November 2010</ref>
The project was fast tracked by Atlas, going from the first drilling program to production in just over one and a half years. The company was aided by the ability to use the existing but dormant processing infrastructure of the [[tantalum]] mine owned by Talison (Global Advanced Metals) in the area.<ref name="Wod"/> At the time, the tantalum mine had been placed on [[care and maintenance]] by Global Advanced Metals and in January 2011, the company announced that it would restart tantalum production.<ref>[http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/documents/tantalum.pdf Tantalum] [[Department of Mines and Petroleum]] website. Retrieved 25 November 2010</ref> Less than a year after it reopened, due to softening global demand, tantalum mining operations ceased at the end of February 2012.<ref name="Wodgina-tant-closed">{{cite news |url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/-/business/12702333/gam-closes-wodgina-tantalum-mine/ |title=GAM closes Wodgina tantalum mine|last=Emery|first=Kate |date=24 Jan 2012 |work=[[The West Australian]]| accessdate=20 March 2012 |quote=Worldwide softening tantalum demand and delays in receiving Governmental approval for installation of necessary crushing equipment are among contributing factors in this decision}}</ref>
In July 2010, Atlas commenced production at the Wodgina mine. The company planned to lift production from its Pilbara operations to 20 million tonnes of iron ore by 2012, up from 6.5 million tonnes in late 2010. Of this, 10 million tonnes were expected to come from the new Turner River hub, which was to blend and process ore from the company's northern Pilbara projects, located at Wodgina, Abydos and Mt Webber.<ref name="Lift" >[http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-business/atlas-iron-lifts-exports-ahead-of-schedule-20101101-179rr.html Atlas Iron lifts exports ahead of schedule] ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]''. 1 November 2010, Retrieved 24 November 2010</ref>
Atlas was hopeful to come to terms with BHP Billiton for the use of that company's rail infrastructure, the [[Goldsworthy railway]]. BHP, in late 2010, had agreed to a joint feasibility study into how an arrangement might work.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201011/s3074035.htm Atlas Iron optimistic about using BHP rail line to Port Hedland] ''[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC Rural]]''. 23 November 2010, Retrieved 24 November 2010</ref>
Mining at Wodgina ceased on 5 April 2017 when reserves were exhausted.<ref>{{cite web|title=2017 Annual Report to shareholders|url=http://www.atlasiron.com.au/site/PDF/8211_1/2017AnnualReporttoshareholders|publisher=Atlas Iron Limited|accessdate=30 May 2018|location=Perth, WA|page=15|format=pdf|date=21 September 2017}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://www.mineralresources.com.au/our-business/commodities/lithium/wodgina-lithium-project-upgrade/ Wodgina Lithium Project Website]
* [http://www.atlasiron.com.au/IRM/content/home.html Atlas Iron Limited website]
* [https://minedex.dmirs.wa.gov.au/Web/projects/details/f9d73b0d-cea6-44f6-b335-52f08cee3494 MINEDEX website: Wodgina Iron/Atlas] Database of the [[Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety]]
{{Iron ore railways in the Pilbara}}
[[Category:Atlas Iron]]
[[Category:Iron ore mines in Western Australia]]
[[Category:Surface mines in Australia]]
[[Category:Port Hedland, Western Australia]]
[[Category:2010 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2017 disestablishments in Australia]]