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Reports claimed that iron ore bans against BHP were lifted on Tuesday.

Iron orePremiumBHP-China saga: Price influence attempts ‘may backfire’

China’s brazen push to influence iron ore contracts could backfire and push prices higher, a leading industry analyst has warned, adding Australian businesses should be wary of further trade weaponisation. 

Simone Grogan

Gina Rinehart

MiningCommentsPremium‘Clear win’: WA mining veteran hands Rinehart victory

A stalwart of the WA mining industry says the chips have fallen more in billionaire Gina Rinehart’s favour after the WA Supreme Court settled a long-running feud over Hope Downs royalties.

Daniel Newell

Not Supplied

MiningCommentsPremiumD-Day for Hancock and Bennett’s mining royalty showdown

Two of Australia’s wealthiest citizens will today find out who is entitled to billions of dollars worth of mining royalties and assets.

Emma Kirk

China's steel mills have been told they're again free to buy BHP's seaborne cargoes. (AP PHOTO)

BusinessPremiumChina lifts BHP iron ore bans after new executive’s visit

China has freed domestic mills to buy BHP iron ore products, signalling the end of a dispute after a visit to the county by BHP's bosses.

Staff Writers

BHP’s stand-off with CMRG — an opaque company directly under the country’s central government — is already the most significant commercial clash in nearly two decades between the country and one of its top suppliers.

MiningCommentsPremiumBHP leaps as China frees mills to buy some cargoes

China’s state-backed iron ore buyer has told several steel mills in the country they are allowed to purchase some BHP cargoes, an apparent concession in a months-long commercial dispute.

Alfred Cang and Katharine Gemmell

Chief executive Brett Boynton hopes DryFlow Magnetics can help unlock a green iron export industry. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

Iron oreCommentsPremiumMagnetic attraction to lift Aussie green iron prospects

A process that uses magnets rather than water to extract high-quality iron ore will be tested at an Australian mine to boost the nation's export potential.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

FMG CEO Dino Otranto and FMG chair Andrew Forrest.

analysis
analysis
MiningVideoCommentsPremium
analysis
FMG risking green iron failure in frantic decarb rush

Fortescue could be putting the cart before the horse by pursuing yet another ambitious decarbonisation plan.

Adrian Rauso

BHP’s incoming chief executive Brandon Craig.

Iron oreCommentsPremiumNew BHP chief sighted in Beijing amid iron ore price talks

Iron ore slid to its lowest in a month after a report BHP’s incoming chief executive officer had met with Chinese executives this week, a possible sign frosty relations are thawing.

Katharine Gemmell & Adrian Rauso

Port of Ashburton in Onslow.

InfrastructureCommentsPremiumWorks continue on cyclone-hit ports at Dampier, Ashburton

Operations at the Port of Dampier and Port of Ashburton in the State’s North West are yet to fully return to normal in the wake of cyclone Narelle, with repair works set to continue into next week.

Cheyanne Enciso

With a vast steel industry that consumes more than 70 per cent of seaborne iron ore, China has consistently pushed for greater influence.

analysis
analysis
MiningCommentsPremium
analysis
China takes on titans to reorder a $275b iron ore market

China has sought for decades to turn its clout as the world’s largest commodities consumer into pricing power.  With iron ore, it is closer than ever to success.

Alfred Cang and Katharine Gemmell

Fortescue claims the change could generate savings of up to $2.2b a year. 

MiningCommentsPremiumFMG volunteers iron ore giants to give up diesel rebates

Fortescue is calling on fellow big miners to help plug a $2.5 billion fuel excise hole in the Federal Government’s Budget by capping the amount they can claim in diesel subsidies.

Simone Grogan

Fenix Resources’ Shine iron ore mine open pit

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Miners facing fuel catastrophe in 10 days

WA iron ore mines supporting about 1000 jobs face catastrophic fuel shortages in as little as 10 days. One company boss said his team is hitting the phones every 10 minutes to secure supply.

Adrian Rauso

Rio Tinto’s Cape Lambert port, WA, Australia

MiningCommentsPremiumRio Tinto’s billion-dollar hit from cyclone

Cyclone Narelle knocked out one of Rio Tinto’s key iron ore jetties, with about eight million tonnes of iron ore expected to be lost this year.

Adrian Rauso

Port Hedland harbour. Pilbara Ports Authority

MiningCommentsPremiumIron ore giants keep mining as vicious weather looms

WA’s iron ore giants have no plans to halt mining as cyclone Narelle menaces the State’s North West, while one major port even opted not to clear its harbour in a ‘highly unusual’ move.

Adrian Rauso

Electrical Trades Union Secretary Adam Woodage speaks to the media today outside BHP HQ. Yesterday, the union voted in favour of industrial action by electrical workers at BHP's Pilbara mining operations.

MiningCommentsPremiumBHP strike to be ‘the first of many’, union warns

The union spearheading strikes at BHP’s iron ore mines warns they will be ‘the first of many’ to sweep through WA’s resources heartland.

Adrian Rauso and Jessica Page

Fenix says it is taking steps to scale back non-essential activity at the company’s mining and haulage operations. 

MiningCommentsPremiumIron ore miner scales back operations amid fuel shortage

An iron ore miner has warned that a lack of fuel supply is ‘beginning to impact operations’ and the pain is being exacerbated by cyclone Narelle. 

Adrian Rauso

Andrew Forrest said Beijing should focus on working with miners.

MiningCommentsPremium‘Poke the bear’: Twiggy blasts China ‘cartel’ price tactics

Fortescue founder Andrew Forrest is the first leader among Australia’s iron ore giants to publicly rebuke China’s state-run iron buyer for its tactics aimed at pushing down prices of the key commodity.

Adrian Rauso

High-voltage workers have a list of demands including 200 per cent penalty rates for overtime and 300 per cent for public holiday work.

MiningCommentsPremiumBHP workers vote for first Pilbara strike in 30-plus years

Unions have officially stormed the gates of WA’s mining industry after workers voted to go on strike for the first time this century, putting an end to nearly four decades of industrial peace in the Pilbara.

Adrian Rauso

Andrew Forrest says China needs to ‘step away from that gun fight’

MiningComments‘Poke the bear’: Twiggy blasts China ‘cartel’ price tactics

Fortescue founder Andrew Forrest is the first leader among Australia’s iron ore giants to publicly rebuke China’s state-run iron buyer for its tactics aimed at pushing down prices of the key commodity. 

Adrian Rauso

Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest says China shouldn’t ‘poke the bear’.

MiningCommentsPremium‘Poke the bear’: Twiggy blasts China ‘cartel’ price tactics

Fortescue founder Andrew Forrest says China’s state-backed iron buyer shouldn’t ‘poke the bear’ and must quit using tactics aimed at negotiating lower prices for the key steel ingredient.

Paul-Alain Hunt, Katharine Gemmell and Stephen Engle

Brandon Craig will be the new CEO of BHP

updated
updated
MiningCommentsPremium
updated
BHP taps former WA iron ore boss to succeed Henry as CEO

The world’s biggest miner has announced its chief executive will step down after more than six years for a replacement seen as ‘evolutionary’ rather than ‘transformational’.

Adrian Rauso and Tom Richardson

The Lamb Creek iron ore project this month.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
MinRes brings online WA’s first iron ore mine of 2026

WA has its first new iron ore mine this year after Mineral Resources shipped maiden ore from its Lamb Creek project three months after breaking ground.

Adrian Rauso

The mills have about one week to move stockpiles at ports to their factories, and a similar timeframe to take Newman ores that have already been delivered.

MiningCommentsPremiumChina eases ban on BHP iron ore amid price rises

China’s state-backed iron ore trader has told steel mills that it’s temporarily easing restrictions on one of BHP’s grades, after worries over a broadening of bans sent prices rising this week.

Alfred Cang

BHP boss Mike Henry.

MiningCommentsPremiumInvestors lose faith in BHP staving off China

Investors have lost confidence in BHP’s ability to emerge victorious from an iron ore trade dispute with China after key products were added to a growing ban list.

Adrian Rauso