Before the shipment to Yawata Iron and Steel Company in Japan could set sail, the towns of Dampier and Tom Price were established, a port was dredged, 12 million cubic metres of rock was moved, 300,000 tonnes of plant and equipment was installed and 300km of railway was laid.

“When the MV Houn Maru set sail 50 years ago nobody could have predicted that Pilbara iron ore would underpin Australia’s economic growth,” Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said.

“The Pilbara’s vast iron ore deposits, and the people who developed them, have helped build modern Australia and some of the world’s leading economies.”

Rio has invested more than $A37 billion over the past 50 years to grow the Pilbara operations. 

“We now employ 12,000 people who operate our network of mines, rail and ports, and sell our iron ore to customers all around the world,” Salisbury said.

“The relationships formed with local Pilbara communities, community and government partners, Traditional Owners, and business partners and customers have been vital to our success.
 
“Rio Tinto is proud to be part of Western Australia’s transformation where new communities have been created, world-leading technology developed and international relationships forged.”

The business will produce around 330 million tonnes of iron ore this year and 330-340Mt next year.