Hawsons Iron Project

Hawsons flagship project, the Hawsons Iron Project is set to supply one of the world’s highest-grade iron ore concentrate products to the global steel industry – essential to steelmakers transitioning to low-carbon ‘green steel’ production using renewables and less to no fossil fuels.

Following a Strategic Review of the project, the Company announced on 1 February 2023 the project is preparing to restart a Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) to support production of 11 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of the Hawsons Supergrade® product – a 70 per cent iron (Fe) concentrate, which will be among the highest-grade iron ore products on the seaborne market. There is potential future staged expansion of up to 20 Mtpa over at least 20 years.

Hawsons Supergrade® will demand a price premium despite iron ore spot pricing fluctuations as it satisfies increasing global demand for premium, low-impurity feedstock that enables steel makers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Hawsons has agreed non-binding Letters of Intent for the offtake of more than 60 Mtpa of concentrate from the global steel sector. The current list of 18 potential off-takers, predominantly targeting Asia and the Middle East, includes 12 steel mill operators and six commodity trading houses.

Once operational, the project will mine and process its sought-after magnetite ore 60kms south-west of Broken Hill at the eastern tip of the globally significant Braemar magnetite deposit that straddles north-east South Australia and south-west New South Wales. Importantly, the project’s location has it ideally placed, with access to existing infrastructure to sustain the planned production, supported by Broken Hill’s highly skilled mining workforce.

The concentrate will be transported via a 390km underground slurry pipeline to a new deepwater port at Myponie Point, north of Wallaroo on the eastern Spencer Gulf in South Australia. At the port, the concentrate will be dewatered and loaded directly on to ships for export to steelmakers globally.

The Hawsons Iron Project has been declared a State Significant Development by the New South Wales State Government, a Major Project by the Commonwealth Government, and an Impact Assessed Development (Major Project) by the South Australian Government.