Jimblebar

Located 40 kilometres east of Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Jimblebar is an open-cut iron ore mine and part of our Western Australian Iron Ore (WAIO) business. The operation is located on the traditional lands of the Nyiyaparli People and is owned through an 85:15 joint venture between BHP and Mitsui and ITOCHU. Jimblebar is one of five mines and four processing hubs that form WAIO’s integrated supply chain, connecting more than 1,000 kilometres of rail infrastructure and port facilities to customers around the world.

Iron ore is the primary raw material used to make steel, which is essential for infrastructure, transport, housing and renewable energy development. As the steel industry works to reduce emissions, high-quality iron ore can help improve efficiency and support lower-emissions steelmaking pathways. We are also assessing opportunities to enhance iron ore products from Jimblebar as part of broader efforts to support the decarbonisation of steelmaking.

Technology, automation and innovation continue to improve safety and performance at Jimblebar. The operation is home to our first fully autonomous haul truck fleet, which has helped establish a foundation for automation across our business. Completed in 2017, the rollout reduced exposure to driving-related hazards, improved productivity and created new opportunities for our workforce to develop technical skills.

Building on this technology leadership, Jimblebar is now helping test the next generation of mining equipment through battery-electric haulage trials. Two battery-electric haul trucks are operating on a dedicated test track at the site, helping generate insights into performance, energy consumption, charging requirements, reliability, safety and productivity in large-scale mining environments. These learnings are supporting our understanding of how electrified mining fleets could operate safely and efficiently at scale.

As part of our operational decarbonisation journey, Jimblebar has become a key testing ground for emerging technologies. In collaboration with Rio Tinto and Caterpillar, the operation is trialling battery-electric haul trucks and preparing to test Dynamic Energy Transfer technology, which has the potential to charge trucks while they are operating. Together, these initiatives are helping us better understand the infrastructure, energy and workforce requirements needed to support lower-emissions mining.

We work to create value beyond our operations by supporting skills development, technology innovation and long-term employment opportunities across the Pilbara. Through the adoption of automation, electrification and advanced technologies, Jimblebar continues to help prepare our workforce for the future of mining while contributing to safer, more productive and more sustainable operations.