Koolanooka Iron Ore Mine, Morawa Shire, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Koolanooka Iron Ore Mine	Mine
Morawa Shire	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

This relatively small mine was the first iron ore mine in Western Australia to export the material. It was discovered in 1961 by Western Mining Corporation geologists J. Lalor and D. Barr. In 1962 a test sample of 132 tonnes was sent to Bullfinch. Western Mining formed a joint venture with US Homestake Mining and Hanna Mining. Active operations commenced from 1964 to 1974, exporting iron ore through the port of Geraldton. During this period it exported 6.7 million(or 5.1 million depending on the source) tonnes at 60% Fe.

Sinosteel Midwest commenced mining again in April 2010, but operations ceased mid 2013, as the company focussed on its nearby Blue Hills (Karara) mine. At June 2011 the mine had produced 1.3 million tonnes.

The mine is located near the northern end of the 13 kilometre long, north-east trending Koolanooka Hills, which rises 180 metres above the surrounding plains. It sits at the border between the wheatbelt, and pastoral country inland. The immediate area is an A class conservation reserve.

The ore is found in a series of banded iron formations, some of which are continuous along the 13 kilometre length of the hills, and some bands discontinuous or lensoid. It is bounded by a hanging wall of metamorphosed siliceous sediments and to the east by intrusive quartz porphyry. The bands range from hematite-goethite-magnetite, hematite chert, hematite clay, hematite-magnetite-limonite, limonite-hematite and hematite-limonite-chert.

The principal ore is found in four types:
1. massive magnetite-hematite as well banded 10-20% primary hematite with a metallic lustre.
2. goethite-hematite often spongy and less banded.
3. goethite-hematite-limonite as a deep yellow friable ore.
4. goethite cemented scree up to 20 metres deep to the north-west of the pit.

The high grade ore is the result of oxidation, hydration of silica leaching of fresh primary magnetite-ankerite, and magnetite-grunerite iron formations, resulting in martite, goethite and ocherous limonite.

The mine is located 20 kilometres east of Morawa. At times it has been open to the public with a picnic area and lookout. At other times during active mining it has been closed.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

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