Yilgarn transition
What's happening?
Earlier this year, we announced our intention to ramp down operations in the Yilgarn. All mining operations, including haulage and crushing, will cease by 31 December 2024.
To date, we’ve had more than 800 expressions of interest (EOIs) completed, and 304 people have been redeployed.
Please refer to the below FAQs for more information.
Ramp Down Plans
November 2024 Updates
Despite running multiple scenarios from both the corporate and site planning teams to continue cost-effective operations through to March, we’ve made the difficult decision to transition into care and maintenance earlier than anticipated.
All mining operations, including haulage and crushing, will cease by 31 December 2024.
Please see below site-specific ramp down plans. Any changes to these plans will be communicated as soon as possible.
Carina
All crushing is being completed at Carina and will continue until the move into care and maintenance by December 31 2024. Haulage from Parker Range to Carina will continue until the same date.
Parker Range
Mining at Parker Range will cease in the last week of November. Haulage from Parker Range to Carina will continue until Carina moves into care and maintenance by December 31 2024.
Koolyanobbing
The Koolyanobbing crusher and hub successfully completed its transition into care and maintenance in October and all crushing is now being conducted at Carina.
Koolyanobbing will recommence mining in K Pit, with a completion date also expected in December. The northern operations intra-mine haulage fleet will complete the required haulage from Koolyanobbing to Carina.
Windarling
Mining is planned to cease at Windarling this month. The Deception mining fleet and reduced northern operations intra-mine haulage will cease in December.
Drill & Blast
The Drill and Blast workload will continue to decrease in line with the mining plan.
Following the announcement of the Yilgarn transition in July, we immediately stopped work on our J4 and A-Pit operations at Mt Jackson and Koolyanobbing, with equipment relocated to other sites. All mining on these operations were either internally transferred or successfully redeployed.
We will continue to work with all employees to explore redeployment opportunities to other MinRes sites. Our People team will collaborate with you as we transition into care and maintenance.
Redeployment process
November 2024 Updates
Our People team will continue to work with you as we transition into care and maintenance. Over the coming weeks, our team will continue to prioritise matching skillsets with open positions across the business.
The EOI process generated more than 800 registrations, and we’ve redeployed 304 people to new positions. It’s great to see so many people keen to continue a career with MinRes.
No, the EOI process closed in July.
Every effort will be made to offer you a role that suits your requirements. However, if the transfer opportunity you’re offered doesn’t suit your needs, you can speak with our recruitment team to understand your options.
MinRes offers many different roster options which means you may be offered a role that has a different roster to your current role. Please speak with our recruitment team to understand what a different roster means for you.
No, we will not be offering voluntary redundancies.
As we continue to ramp down, employees will be redeployed where like for like roles are available. Redundancies will be offered where we are unable to find you a suitable role.
Employees will be selected based on the skillsets required to run the project in a care and maintenance phase.
Please speak with our People team directly if you’re DIDO in the Yilgarn.
We will make every effort to keep partners together, however, in some cases, this may not be possible.
Remuneration and benefits
November 2024 Updates
This will depend on the opportunity offered, including the role and roster worked. If there’s a change to your pay, it will be discussed with you as part of the transfer process.
Yes, if you’re transferred or redeployed to another role at MinRes, your previous service and leave entitlements will carry over.
Redundancy packages are paid in line with employment agreements. Employees in redundant roles will be provided with details of your final payment as part of conversations with our People Team.
Please see the table below for more details of the redundancy pay schedule.
Period of continuous service and redundancy payment
- At least 1 year but less than 2 years: 4 weeks
- At least 2 years but less than 3 years: 6 weeks
- At least 3 years but less than 4 years: 7 weeks
- At least 4 years but less than 5 years: 8 weeks
- At least 5 years but less than 6 years: 10 weeks
- At least 6 years but less than 7 years: 11 weeks
- At least 7 years but less than 8 years: 13 weeks
- At least 8 years but less than 9 years: 14 weeks
Note: there is a reduction in redundancy pay from 16 weeks to 12 weeks for employees with at least 10 years continuous service. This is consistent with the 2004 Redundancy Case decision made by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
June FAQs
June 2024 Updates
For some time we have been conducting a comprehensive assessment to explore options for the future of the Yilgarn. After assessing all the options, the assessment demonstrated that continuity of exports was not financially viable beyond the end of this calendar year.
This decision was due to a combination of factors, including the limited remaining mine life across the five operating sites spread out over 200kms, and the significant capital cost and lead time required to develop new resources to ensure continuity of supply.
As a result, we intend to cease Yilgarn exports by 31 December 2024.
Our aim is to redeploy or re-train team members over the next seven months, while retaining a skeleton crew at the Yilgarn beyond 2024.
Drilling and exploration programs will continue across the Yilgarn project.
The table below provides a breakdown of rosters available at different sites across MinRes.
Please note rosters may vary from time to time depending on department and client requirements.
We have set up this dedicated webpage which includes further details on the transition, links to the EOI form and access to our internal careers site so you can view the range of jobs we have available.
You can also email any questions you have to yilgarn@mrl.com.au or speak to your Leader or a member of the People team.
Submit your question
If you have additional questions, please submit them here.
Support is available
There are many resources available if you need support or guidance during this time and we encourage you to reach out. Uncertainty can be stressful so please stay safe and look after yourselves and each other.
- On site counselling: Dedicated counsellors will be onsite for those needing immediate support. Look out for details advertised around the site.
- Mind Matters Counselling: Our in-house team provides free, confidential psychology and counselling services with unlimited sessions available in person, by phone, or via Teams. To access contact mentalhealthservices@mrl.com.au.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Available 24/7 offering professional and confidential counselling for employees and their immediate family members. Click here or call 1800 808 374.
Reflecting on our journey
The Yilgarn is one of Australia’s oldest mining operations, with a history spanning over 60 years.
We are grateful for the contributions of everyone involved since MinRes began operating Carina in 2011, followed by the Jackson Ranges in 2015, Koolyanobbing in 2018 and Parker Range in 2019.
When MinRes took over Kooly with the State Government’s support, we committed to investing $500 million in the assets and to continue operating the mine for up to five years or 30 million tonnes shipped, in return for temporary royalty relief and other support.
Thanks to the outstanding work of our Yilgarn team, we have greatly exceeded these commitments. By May 2024 we had exported almost 41 million tonnes of iron ore and by the end of 2024, operations at Kooly will have reached almost 6.5 years.
We have also invested $850 million on assets since 2018 to maintain the operation.
It is an extremely complex and challenging operation and we could not have achieved everything we have without your continued dedication and support – thank you.
Internal Careers Portal
Click here to view all roles currently open and opportunities to relocate.
