{{Short description|Iron ore mine in Australia}} {{use Australian English|date=August 2020}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox mine | image = Brockman 4 Plant.jpg | pushpin_map = Western Australia | pushpin_label = Brockman 4 mine | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Western Australia | coordinates = {{coord|22.575371|S|117.268501|E|region:AU-WA|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | place = Shire of Ashburton, Pilbara | subdivision_type = State | state/province = Western Australia | country = Australia | owner = Rio Tinto Iron Ore | official website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20110406102819/http://www.riotintoironore.com/index.asp Rio Tinto Iron Ore website] | acquisition year = <!-- Infobox does not support the following parameter: | stock_exchange = ASX | stock_code = [http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/companyInfo.do?by=asxCode&asxCode=RIO RIO] --> | products = Iron ore | financial year = | amount = 22 Mt/annum | opening year = 2010 | closing year = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 }}
The '''Brockman 4 mine''' is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, {{convert|60|km|abbr=on}} north-west of Tom Price.<ref>[http://minedexext.doir.wa.gov.au/minedex/external/common/appMain.jsp MINEDEX website: Brockman 4 search result] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911130252/http://minedexext.doir.wa.gov.au/minedex/external/common/appMain.jsp |date=September 11, 2008 }} accessed: 8 November 2010</ref> The mine, located near the existing Brockman mine, was opened in 2010.<ref name="Projects" >[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/301_expansion_projects.asp Expansion Projects] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406103639/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/301_expansion_projects.asp |date=2011-04-06 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 8 November 2010</ref> The mine is fully owned and operated by Rio Tinto Iron Ore, which owns many mines in the area.<ref name="Pilbara">[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/301_pilbara.asp Pilbara] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021131325/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/301_pilbara.asp |date=2013-10-21 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 6 November 2010</ref><ref name="Mining">[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_mining.asp Mining] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612111105/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_mining.asp |date=2010-06-12 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 8 November 2010</ref> The mine is serviced by the Boolgeeda Airport.
In May 2020, Rio Tinto achieved notoriety for its blasting of archaeologically highly significant and also culturally sensitive Australian Aboriginal sacred sites in Juukan Gorge in order to expand Brockman 4.<ref name=bonuses>{{cite web | title=Rio Tinto executives stripped of bonuses over destruction of Juukan Gorge rock shelters|first=Nicolas |last=Perpitch | website=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation| date=23 August 2020 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-24/rio-tinto-executives-lose-bonuses-over-juukan-gorge-destruction/12588516 | access-date=24 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Hirini | first=Rangi | title=Rio Tinto responds to allegations they're 'not sorry' for Juukan Gorge destruction | website=NITV | date=17 June 2020 | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/2020/06/17/rio-tinto-responds-allegations-theyre-not-sorry-juukan-gorge-destruction | access-date=24 August 2020}}</ref> A government inquiry was established to investigate the incident on 11 June 2020.<ref name=jenkins>{{cite web | last=Jenkins | first=Keira | title=Rio Tinto tells Senate inquiry it could have avoided Juukan Gorge destruction | website=NITV | date=5 August 2020 | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/08/05/rio-tinto-tells-senate-inquiry-it-could-have-avoided-juukan-gorge-destruction | access-date=24 August 2020}}</ref>
The Hamersley Range, where the mine is located, is, with 80% of all identified iron ore reserves in Australia, one of the major iron ore provinces in the world.<ref>[http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/education/fact_sheets/iron.jsp Iron fact sheet - Australian Resources and Deposits] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218001043/http://www.australianminesatlas.gov.au/education/fact_sheets/iron.jsp |date=2011-02-18 }} Geoscience Australia website, accessed: 7 November 2010</ref>
==Overview== [[File:Iron ore Pilbara 2.svg|180px|thumb|left|Iron ore mines in the Pilbara region]] Brockman 4 is located approximately {{convert|25|km|abbr=on}} south of the Brockman 2 mine. The mine, which cost {{USD|1.520 billion}} to build, was initially scheduled to produce 22 Mt annually,<ref name="Projects" /> with a doubling of capacity planned by 2012, to help achieve Rio Tinto's goal of raising iron ore production from the Pilbara from 220 Mt annually (as of 2010) to 330 Mt.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/rio-to-double-capacity-at-us15bn-brockman-mine-says-walsh/story-e6frg9df-1225913390434 Rio to double capacity at $US1.5bn Brockman mine, says Walsh] ''The Australian'', published: 2 September 2010, accessed: 7 November 2010</ref>
{{As of|2013}}, the ore body is approximately {{convert|15|km|abbr=on}} long and up to {{convert|3|km|abbr=on}} wide, comprising the hills to the south of the Boolgeeda Creek Valley. Mining incorporates a fleet of fifteen Komatsu 830E haul trucks. The ore is processed on site in the plant to produce lump (<31.5mm, >6mm) and fines (<6mm) product. There is a primary jaw crusher, two secondary cone crushers, a six bin screening building and a 1.2 Mt capacity stockyard. Stockpiled ore is loaded onto rail and then transported to the coast through the Hamersley & Robe River railway, where it is loaded onto ships.<ref name="Rail">[http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_rail.asp Rail] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701061825/http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_rail.asp |date=2013-07-01 }} Rio Tinto Iron Ore website, accessed: 8 November 2010</ref>
The mine's workforce is on a fly-in fly-out roster.
Brockman 4 was estimated to have a mine life of 20 years.<ref>[http://www.theresourcechannel.com.au/blog/introducing-rio-tinto%E2%80%99s-latest-greenfield-operation-%E2%80%93-brockman-4 Brockman 4] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721054618/http://www.theresourcechannel.com.au/blog/introducing-rio-tinto%E2%80%99s-latest-greenfield-operation-%E2%80%93-brockman-4 |date=2010-07-21 }} theresourcechannel.com.au, published: 5 March 2010, accessed: 8 November 2010</ref> It was officially opened on 2 September 2010.<ref>[http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-business/rio-tinto-opens-brockman-4-20100902-14oem.html Rio Tinto opens Brockman 4] ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', published: 2 September 2010, accessed: 8 November 2010</ref> Rio Tinto allocated a further {{AUD|1.24 billion}} in early December 2010, to expand the mine as well as develop its Western Turner Syncline project, with the aim of increasing the Pilbara production to 283 Mt per annum by late 2013. The expansion would make B4 Rio Tinto's second-largest mine in the Pilbara.<ref>[http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/rio-tinto-signals-124bn-ore-expansion/story-e6frg8zx-1225964155379 Rio Tinto signals $1.24bn ore expansion] ''The Australian'', published: 2 December 2010, accessed: 4 December 2010</ref>
{{Commons category|Brockman 4 mine}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110406102819/http://www.riotintoironore.com/index.asp Rio Tinto Iron Ore website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080911130252/http://minedexext.doir.wa.gov.au/minedex/external/common/appMain.jsp MINEDEX website] Database of the Department of Mines and Petroleum
{{Iron ore railways in the Pilbara}}
Category:Iron ore mines in Western Australia Category:Surface mines in Australia Category:Shire of Ashburton Category:Rio Tinto Iron Ore Category:2010 establishments in Australia