WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT MAGAZINE June–August 2004 $3 (inc GST) Nickel Ravensthorpe go-ahead Mid West comes alive Woodside turns 50 PROSPECT_ AUG.indd a 16/6/04 2:17:30 PM DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES Investment Services 168 St Georges Terrace including iron ore, PERTH Western Australia 6000 FROM THE MINISTER Postal address: Box 7606 • Cloisters Square copper, gold, ilmenite, Perth Western Australia 6850 talc and garnet. Tel: +61 8 9327 5555 • Fax: +61 8 9222 3862 Email: [email protected] estern Australia was once again Within three to four www.doir.wa.gov.au endorsed as one of the world’s most years, the combination of INTERNATIONAL OFFICES Wattractive resources investment hematite and magnetite Europe destinations when BHP Billiton gave the green projects planned for the European Offi ce • 5th fl oor, Australia Centre light to a A$1.4 billion laterite nickel project — the Corner of Strand and Melbourne Place region will see throughput LONDON WC2B 4LG • UNITED KINGDOM company’s biggest global nickel venture since its at Geraldton Port jump to Clive Brown, MLA Minister for State Tel: +44 20 7240 2881 • Fax: +44 20 7240 6637 merger — at Ravensthorpe in the State’s southeast. Email: [email protected] more than 8Mt/a. Development The Western Australian Government will India — Mumbai And pending successful Western Australian Trade Offi ce contribute A$18.4 million towards the provision development of new oil fi elds in the Perth Basin, 93 Jolly Maker Chambers No 2 of infrastructure and services needed to support Geraldton could also become the base for oil 9th fl oor, Nariman Point • MUMBAI 400 021 INDIA Tel: +91 22 5630 3979/74/78 • Fax: +91 22 5630 3977 the Ravensthorpe Nickel Project, demonstrating a exports to Asia and Europe. Email: [email protected] preparedness to work with industry to deliver local These are exciting times in Western Australia, India — Chennai jobs and opportunities throughout the State. and recent industry reports estimate the State’s Western Australian Trade Offi ce - Advisory Offi ce The Government continues to invest in our 1 Doshi Regency • 876 Poonamallee High Road resources sector could grow by 175% over the next Kilpauk • Chennai 600 084 • INDIA regions, with the Mid West, centred around 25 years. Tel: +91 44 2640 0407 • Fax: +91 44 2643 0064 the port city of Geraldton, the focus of this edition E-mail: [email protected] The Western Australian Government has of Prospect, receiving major infrastructure Indonesia — Jakarta initiated policies to continually enhance Western Australia Trade Offi ce improvements. Western Australia’s international position JI H R Rasuna Said Kav C15 - 16, Kuningan The recent A$103 million port upgrade as a rich resources province, including committing Jakarta 12940 • INDONESIA Tel: +62 21 2550 5331 • Fax: +62 21 522 7103 at Geraldton has already seen the successful A$12 million over the next four years to double the E-mail: [email protected] development and export of iron ore from the new area of the State covered by high-tech geoscientifi c Indonesia — Surabaya Tallering Peak hematite mine — the fi rst iron ore to aerial imaging. Western Australian Trade Offi ce be exported from the Mid West in 30 years. Graha Pena 17th fl oor • Jalan Ahmad Yani 88 Growing global demand for minerals and energy Surabaya 60234 INDONESIA Mount Gibson Mining also intends to develop commodities, particularly from China, is helping Tel: +62 31 829 9979 • Fax: +62 31 829 9975 a 1.5 Mt/a hematite mine on the Extension Hill Western Australia maintain its position as a primary Email: [email protected] and Iron Hill deposits within the Mt Gibson Japan — Tokyo supplier of resources to the world, as well as building Australian Business Centre (WA Govt Offi ce) Range, with the fi rst shipments of ore planned its capacity to establish downstream industries that 28th fl oor, New Otani Garden Court for the third quarter of next year. And, there are add value to these resources. 4-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-Ku • TOKYO 102-0094 JAPAN several other hematite and magnetite mining Tel: +81 3 5214 0791 • Fax: +81 3 5214 0796 This is leading to a resources upswing as export Email: [email protected] developments planned by Mount Gibson and volumes increase across a range of commodities, Japan — Kobe others for the Mid West. including LNG, iron ore, alumina, nickel, salt, Western Australian Government Offi ce In addition, the Geraldton port upgrade was a 6th fl oor, Golden Sun Building • 3-6 Nakayamate-dori copper and zinc. 4-Chome Chuo-Ku • KOBE 650-0004 JAPAN major catalyst in creating export agreements with This ongoing growth in the resources sector is Tel: +81 78 242 7705 • Fax: +81 78 242 7707 China that are expected to underpin the long-term helping Western Australia maintain its position as Email: [email protected] growth of the region’s iron ore industry. Australia’s leading State economy and creating jobs Malaysia Western Australian Trade Offi ce Add to this an A$88 million transport corridor and opportunities for all Western Australians. 4th fl oor, UBN Tower • 10 Jalan P Ramlee providing a new southern road and rail link to the KUALA LUMPUR 50250 MALAYSIA port, and Geraldton is now positioned to diversify Tel: +60 3 2031 8175/6 • Fax: +60 3 2031 8177 Email: [email protected] its throughput from grain (currently the second Middle East largest in Australia) to a plethora of minerals Western Australian Trade Offi ce • Emarat Atrium PO Box 58007 • Dubai • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Tel: +971 4 343 3226 • Fax: +971 4 343 3238 E-mail: [email protected] FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL People’s Republic of China — Shanghai Western Australian Trade & Investment Promotion Shanghai Representative Offi ce • Room 2208, CITIC Square Nickel project a winner 1168 Nanjing Road West • Shanghai 200041 HP Billiton’s decision to commit to the massive Ravensthorpe laterite nickel PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA project sees Western Australia poised to become the second biggest nickel Tel: +86 21 5292 5899 • Fax: +86 21 5292 5889 miner in the world, behind Russia. Email: [email protected] B People’s Republic of China — Hangzhou The A$1.4 billion investment in Western Australia is a major vote of confi dence Western Australian Trade & Investment Promotion in the Western Australian resources industry and will have wide benefi ts to the Jim Limerick Hangzhou Representative Offi ce State and the local communities for at least two decades. Director General Room 910 • World Trade Offi ce Plaza Department of Industry Zhejiang World Trade Centre Perhaps more importantly, following on from BHP Billiton’s successful trial and Resources 15 Shuguang Road • Hangzhou 310007 mining and local pilot scale testing, leading to the adoption of the combination PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA of pressure acid leaching and atmospheric pressure acid leaching processing technology, will be the Tel: +86 571 8795 0296 • Fax: +86 571 8795 0295 E-mail: [email protected] confi dence to further expand the processing of the State’s massive lateritic nickel ore reserves. Minara South Korea Resources for instance has already fl agged the possible expansion of its treatment facilities at Murrin Mr Young Chan Yu, Regional Director Murrin. Western Australian Trade & Investment Offi ce It is a breakthrough which may unlock the successful development of the huge laterite nickel 11th Floor, Kyobo Building 1 Jongro 1-Ga, Jongro-Gu resources present in WA. Tel: +82 2 722 1217 • Fax: +82 2 722 1218 The Department of Industry and Resources has been closely involved in the development of the E-mail: [email protected] Ravensthorpe project since its inception, working in partnership with BHP Billiton to bring the project Taiwan to fruition. WA Business Development Manager Australian Commerce & Industry Offi ce This edition of Prospect magazine details the stories behind the Ravensthorpe development. It also Suite 2606, International Trade Building looks in detail at one of the fast-growing regions of Western Australia, the Mid West, where the successful #333 Keelung Road Section 1 • TAIPEI 110 TAIWAN completion of a A$103 million port upgrade at Geraldton has provided the impetus for several world- Tel: +886 2 8780 9118 ext 216 • Fax: +886 2 2757 6707 Email: nicholas.mckay@austrade,gov.au class resource projects. Thailand Included in that is the shipment, the fi rst for more than 30 years, of Mid West iron ore through WA Business Development Manager Geraldton, bound for the hungry steel mills of China. Elsewhere in Prospect, we celebrate Woodside Australian Trade Commission • Australian Embassy Petroleum’s 50th anniversary through a special feature presentation. 37 South Sathorn Road • BANGKOK 10120 • THAILAND Tel: +662 287 2680 Ext 3307 • Fax: +662 287 2589 E-mail: [email protected] PROSPECT_ AUG.indd b 16/6/04 2:17:41 PM in this issue 8 Mid West on the boil The Mid West region of Western Australia is coming alive on the resources front, underpinned by the A$103 million upgrade of the Geraldton port. New iron ore, gold, base metals and oil and gas projects are also coming on stream. 2 Nickel bonanza 18 Woodside celebrates The A$1.8 billion Ravensthorpe nickel development by Woodside Energy has turned 50. This issue of BHP Billiton will see Western Australia emerge as the Prospect contains a special feature on the company second biggest nickel miner in the world, as well as and the vital role it plays in the North West Shelf provide a major fi llip to other lateritic nickel projects.