Resource
Iron ore (magnetite and hematite)
Location
Middleback Ranges, southwest of Whyalla, Eyre Peninsula
Company and tenement information
OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd trading as SIMEC Mining Group
The Middleback Ranges Project comprises a number of tenements which are broadly considered under different mining areas.
Mining is undertaken in three areas with multiple pits, including:
- South Middleback Ranges (SMR) mining area
- Iron Baron mining area
- Iron Knob mining area
Download map showing Middleback Ranges tenements via the South Australian Resources Information Gateway (SARIG).
Mining operation and status
- Operating
- Open-cut mines in the Middleback Ranges producing magnetite ore for steel production and hematite ore for export, blended fines and pellets also shipping to Port Kembla and Newcastle in New South Wales
The deposit
Magnetite and hematite deposits within the Middleback Ranges (part of the Cleve sub-domain of the Gawler Craton, comprised primarily of Early Proterozoic metasediments of the Hutchison Group.
Resource estimates and production estimates
Company released resource estimates and production statistics for South Australia's major operating and approved mines are summarised in South Australia's major operating/approved mines: resources estimates and production statistics (PDF, updated regularly)
Approval process
Programs for environment protection and rehabilitation have been submitted and approved for each mining area.
Current documents
Mining proposals
- Bark Sheoak Adder Hills Project mining proposal MC 4470 (PDF 61 MB)
- Cooks North and Cook North West Project mining proposal MC 4539 (PDF 35.2 MB)
Program for environment protection and rehabilitation (PEPR)
- Iron Baron Mining Area - Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation, includes PEPR including appendices and letter of approval (PDF 124 MB)
- Iron Knob Mining Area - Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PDF 14.8 MB)
- South Middleback Range - Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PDF 76 MB)
- Iron Baron Mining Area - Bark Hills Central approved PEPR and approval letter dated 11 April 2023