The Karara iron ore project, 225km east of the port of Geraldton, is Western Australia’s latest iron ore mine as a result of the new wave of companies that have broken the total dominance of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto in the Western Australian iron ore business. The first to break the padlock was Fortescue Metals Group in the Pilbara two years ago. Karara is a joint venture between Gindalbie Metals Ltd and major Chinese steel and iron ore company Ansteel. The project will initially produce 10 million tonnes per annum of iron products in 2011, comprising 8 million tonnes per annum of high grade magnetite concentrate, a value added product and 2 million tonnes per annum of direct shipping ore. Karara was said to have the potential to produce more than 30 million tonnes per annum over a mine life of more than 30 years.
