Key facts
- Hancock plans to reduce production at its Roy Hill iron ore mine in Western Australia.
- The move is intended to extend the mine's lifespan by a decade.
- Production will be maintained at over 63 million tonnes per year.
- Hancock Iron Ore will process an additional 8 million tonnes per year from the McPhee Creek mine.
Australian producer Hancock plans to cut back production at its Roy Hill iron ore mine in Western Australia's Pilbara region, in a move to extend the mine's lifespan by a decade, the firm said on 17 June.
Mining activity would be reduced at Roy Hill mine, but it would maintain a production rate of over 63 million tonnes per year, the company said.
Roy Hill produced its first iron ore shipment in 2015 and has an expected lifespan of 20 years. The updated mine plan would extend its life by 10 years, maximise the amount of orebody it could turn into product, and reduce the amount of waste mined, Hancock subsidiary Hancock Iron Ore said. Hancock Iron Ore operates the mine, which was created following the merger of Atlas Iron and Roy Hill, both previously owned by Hancock.