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45:
271:, with the proposed mining at the Solomon hub leading to a long-standing dispute between the native title holders and the Fortescue Metals Group over compensation. The issue split the local community to a point where the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation rejected FMG's offers, which led to a rival group, the Wirlu-Murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation, being formed, which chose to work with the mining company. The dispute was eventually settled in 2020, after 17 years of legal battle, when the
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360:. However, mining had commenced in late 2012 and first ore from the mine was railed to port in December 2012. The mine, as part of the company's new Solomon Hub, was scheduled to produce 20 million tonnes of iron ore per annum, while the nearby Kings Valley mine, under development at the time, was planned to produce double this amount for a projected total annual production for the hub of 60 million tonnes.
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363:
By late 2016, the
Firetail mine had ramped up production to 27 million tonnes of iron ore per annum, producing high grade ore essential for blending with lower grade from other FMG mines, but was scheduled at the time to be depleted by 2019. In May 2018, FMG approved the construction of the
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may also bear responsibility for allowing the mining to take place without the permission of the
Yindjibarndi people. The lawyer acting for the YAC sees it as a landmark case, as it would be "the first case that sets down the benchmark for compensation to be paid under the
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over some 2,700 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi), and the court reaffirmed its decision in 2020 when FMG appealed to have the determination overturned. In 2022 the YAC asked the
Federal Court to rule on compensation, after attempts to negotiate an
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in late 2016, despite long-standing opposition by the traditional owners of the land, the
Yindjibarndi people, as well as concerns over the effects on the nearby Hammersley Gorge, located in
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433:"Fortescue Metals Group has lost a High Court appeal to overturn Native Title rights over 2,700 square kilometres of land in the Pilbara, including the site of an iron ore mine"
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386:, was approved for construction in 2019 at a projected cost of A$ 417 million. The mine, located 15km west of the Kings Valley mine, is scheduled to open in 2022.
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Mining at the
Solomon hub was temporarily suspended in late September 2021, after a fatality at one of the mines, when a male employee died in a ground collapse.
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had stalled. As of 2023 YAC continues its battle in the courts for compensation. They are seeking unpaid royalties of more than
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294:. Mine life, at the time, was predicted to be 20 years with a combined production of 80 million tonnes of iron ore per annum.
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and spiritual connection to the land". The claim was initially discussed at a meeting between FMC and YAC in March 2011. The
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562:"Legal fight between Yindjibarndi and Andrew Forrest cuts to the heart of Australia's native title rights"
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mines, and the
Western Hub, consisting of the Eliwana mine. A third operation within the Solomon hub, the
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Apart from the
Solomon Hub, as of 2022, the company also mines the Chichester Hub, consisting of the
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534:"Yindjibarndi people ask for landmark Fortescue Metals case to be heard on-country in remote WA"
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668:"FMG suspends operations at its Solomon Hub iron ore mine in WA's Pilbara after employee death"
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309:(YAC) but approved of by the rival Wirlu-Murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation.
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A proposed three-fold expansion of the
Solomon hub mining area was approved by the
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for approval of the
Solomon iron ore project, consisting of the Firetail and
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725:"FMG green lights $ US287m Solomon extension with Queens Valley development"
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642:"Fortescue goes ahead with $ 1.3bn iron ore project in Western Australia"
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290:, and 127km of new railway line to connect the mines with the existing
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The
Firetail mine officially opened on 6 May 2013 in the presence of
494:"Path cleared for major Western Australia iron ore mine expansion"
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233:, one of three of its active mining areas, together with the
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Iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia
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Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia
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Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia
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Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia
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Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia
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Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
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Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum
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282:In March 2011, FMG lodged an application with the
316:recognised that the Yindjibarndi had exclusive
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1012:(Parker Point & East Intercourse Island)
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614:"FMG eyes replacement options for Firetail"
368:, reportedly to replace the Firetail mine.
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755:MINEDEX website: Solomon - Greater Solomon
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588:"Fortescue opens Firetail iron ore mine"
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492:Wahlquist, Calla (23 November 2016).
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7:
829:(Nelson Point & Finucane Island)
803:Iron ore mining in Western Australia
305:. The expansion was rejected by the
229:. The mine is part of the company's
1367:Aboriginal land rights in Australia
1342:Iron ore mines in Western Australia
307:Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation
225:, 60 km (37 mi) north of
1028:Hamersley & Robe River railway
14:
640:Jamasmie, Cecilia (28 May 2018).
560:Mercer, Daniel (14 August 2023).
532:Robinson, Tom (6 November 2022).
1362:2013 establishments in Australia
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666:Weber, David (7 October 2021).
612:Evans, Nick (27 October 2016).
723:Newell, Daniel (22 May 2019).
431:Jenkins, Keira (29 May 2020).
403:Kennedy, Jane (21 July 2011).
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335:Western Australian Government
323:Indigenous land use agreement
57:Location in Western Australia
586:Latimer, Cole (6 May 2013).
405:"The Yindjibarndi FMG case"
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1347:Surface mines in Australia
460:"Solomon Iron Ore Project"
314:Federal Court of Australia
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263:Native title in Australia
217:(FMG) and located in the
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764:Solomon Iron Ore Project
695:"Overview of operations"
1119:Western Turner Syncline
275:ruled in favour of the
273:High Court of Australia
157:27 million tonnes/annum
1357:Fortescue Metals Group
1156:(SP1 & SP2 Berths)
703:Fortescue Metals Group
303:Karijini National Park
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248:Iron ore mines in the
215:Fortescue Metals Group
184:Fortescue Metals Group
261:Further information:
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213:mine operated by the
850:Mount Newman railway
539:ABC News (Australia)
123:22.1236°S 117.9143°E
1138:Hancock Prospecting
923:(Herb Elliott Port)
845:Goldsworthy railway
730:The West Australian
619:The West Australian
318:native title rights
269:Yindjibarndi people
257:Native title issues
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1352:Shire of Ashburton
384:Queens Valley mine
277:traditional owners
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128:-22.1236; 117.9143
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592:Australian Mining
467:www.epa.wa.gov.au
348:Mining operations
292:Fortescue railway
288:Kings Valley mine
223:Western Australia
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194:Fortescue website
86:Western Australia
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1240:Other operations
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22:Firetail mine
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1227:Sanjiv Ridge
1153:Port Hedland
1124:Yandicoogina
1114:West Angelas
1074:Hope Downs 4
1004:Cape Lambert
975:Kings Valley
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920:Port Hedland
826:Port Hedland
734:. Retrieved
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537:
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520:Jenkins 2020
515:
503:. Retrieved
499:The Guardian
497:
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475:. Retrieved
473:. March 2011
466:
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442:. Retrieved
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414:. Retrieved
408:
398:
373:
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366:Eliwana mine
362:
358:Bill Marmion
351:
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331:sacred sites
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206:
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1264:Iron Valley
1109:Silvergrass
1064:Gudai-Darri
886:South Flank
881:Newman West
876:Newman East
545:26 November
239:Western Hub
231:Solomon Hub
126: /
114:117°54′51″E
102:Coordinates
1336:Categories
1259:Iron Ridge
1254:Blue Hills
1202:Atlas Iron
1104:Paraburdoo
1069:Hope Downs
1049:Brockman 4
1044:Brockman 2
960:Cloudbreak
646:MINING.COM
390:References
380:Cloudbreak
221:region of
154:Production
139:Production
111:22°07′25″S
1222:Mt Webber
989:Rio Tinto
905:Fortescue
871:Jimblebar
571:13 August
410:ABC Local
227:Tom Price
96:Australia
1316:Railways
1289:Wonmunna
1188:Roy Hill
1165:Railways
1099:Nammuldi
1079:Marandoo
1021:Railways
970:Firetail
932:Railways
838:Railways
736:26 March
708:21 March
679:21 March
673:ABC News
651:21 March
625:21 March
597:21 March
566:ABC News
505:21 March
477:22 March
444:21 March
416:21 March
237:and the
211:iron ore
148:Iron ore
144:Products
66:Location
27:Location
1054:Channar
1009:Dampier
965:Eliwana
250:Pilbara
219:Pilbara
190:Website
180:Company
162:History
92:Country
74:Pilbara
1269:Karara
1089:Mesa J
1084:Mesa A
866:Area C
252:region
209:is an
167:Opened
1321:Mines
1311:Ports
1247:Mines
1210:Mines
1181:Mines
1146:Ports
1037:Mines
997:Ports
948:Mines
913:Ports
891:Yandi
859:Mines
819:Ports
463:(PDF)
175:Owner
81:State
738:2022
710:2022
681:2022
653:2022
627:2022
599:2022
573:2023
547:2022
507:2022
479:2022
446:2022
418:2022
378:and
205:The
170:2013
811:BHP
438:SBS
1338::
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
