Some Old Gear

A little history on the iron ore industry of Northern W.A. ..

In 1961, the embargo on the export of iron ore from Australia was lifted (this embargo had been in place since just before WW2, when the Japs were prevented from obtaining iron ore from Cockatoo & Koolan Islands in Yampi Sound).
The Yampi Sound mine was worked for many years, from around 1944. The iron ore was shipped to Newcastle to be refined. However, the Japs were still keen to get iron ore, even in the late 1940's.
But .. the Japs were still the enemy, and too many Diggers wouldn't let the Govt forget it.

Come the early 1960's, the Govts attitude changed. As soon as the embargo was lifted, the W.A. Govt called for expressions of interest in mining a huge known deposit of iron ore at Mt Goldsworthy.
This deposit was about 110 kms NE of Port Hedland and was estimated to contain 54 million tonnes of high grade (65%-68%) iron ore.

Development of the Mt Goldsworthy deposit was awarded to a consortium of international and Australian mining companies. This consortium or joint venture, was comprised of ..

Consolidated Goldfields of Australia ..
Cyprus Mines Corp ..
Utah Development Co ..

.. who between them, formed the company trading as Mt Goldsworthy Mining Associates. The operations managing company was known as Goldsworthy Mining Ltd.

Development began immediately, with the construction of new townships at Goldsworthy and Finucane Island at Pt Hedland.
A high-capacity, heavy-rail-loading, railway was constructed between Pt Hedland and Goldsworthy to take the ore to Pt Hedland harbour.
Pt Hedland harbour was dredged extensively so it was able to take large ore-carrying ships. Bulk ship loading facilities were constructed.
On June 3, 1966, the first Goldsworthy iron ore was shipped on the Harvey S. Mudd, bound for Japan. This was the first shipment of iron ore to overseas customers, since the iron ore embargo was lifted.

As soon as the embargo was lifted, Con Zinc Rio Tinto of Australia (CRA) set about exploring for iron ore deposits in the NW of W.A., particularly the Pilbara.
On one air-reconnaissance mission, two geologists from CRA noted the impressive iron-rich, dark red colours in the Hamersley Ranges.
An employee of the Kaiser Steel Corp (Kaiser was in with CRA on the search for iron ore), one Thomas M. Price, was sent out to personally survey the area, the other geologists has sighted.

Tom Prices report was highly favourable, stating that the iron ore deposits were extensive, high grade, and warranted further investigation.
The investigative survey commissioned by CRA, formally identified a deposit in excess of 1 BILLION tons of high grade iron ore.

The story goes that Tom Price died within hours of learning the results of the survey, and the deposit was named Mt. Tom Price in his honour.

In Oct 1962, Hamersley Iron P/L was formed as a joint venture between Kaiser Steel Corp and CRA. Kaiser Steel held 40% of the shares, and CRA held 60% of the shares in HI.
The mining of Mt Tom Price commenced at breakneck speed, and within 19 mths from the start of construction, the first ore was shipped.

To enable this to happen, contractors had built the mine infrastructure, constructed a port at Dampier, laid a high capacity, heavy-rail-load railway line from Dampier to Tom Price, and constructed two towns (Dampier and Tom Price) .. all in that 19 mth period.
As noted earlier, the first ore was shipped from Mt Tom Price in August 1966, with a load of 52,000 tons, loaded onto the Huon Maru at Dampier, for delivery to the Yawata Iron & Steel Co in Japan.

Heres the ones i was thinking of:

I wasn't far off the mark with the year etc..
I was going to take all the glory but i owe the find of the mag article to someone else...
Jimbo shall remain nameless for that of anonimity..
Thanks mate!!

chocs

chocs this is what your after v195 ex us airforce melon the pink ones fwd the blue hendrickson

these were the v8 version of a r190 500 plus cube v8 the liked a drink as much as me!!!!

chocs these v series cabs were differebt to the r models as the had 2 cowl vents

Here's some pictures to accompany Onetracks words about the Tom Price to Dampier railway.
First pic is railway under construction 1965. The second pic was taken at the official opening of the railway and the first load of ore.
The story about how the Loco's got to Tom Price is another good story so I better start digging some pictures out.
Some pictures are not trucks but are related to the topic.
Basil


Mermaide Hotel in Dampier in the early days....could get a punch in the nose pretty easy at this pub in the early days...nothins changed now either.

Mine camp at Tom Price 1966

Let ere rip Jimmy...wouldve been a big bang this one

Ore loading tube at Tom Price 1967. Range behind loader tube is gone now.

Wonderful photos, of very raw early days. The railway aspects are now very historic.
My first visit to WA was in Jan.1969, but not to the Pilbara then. My first visit to the Pilbara was in 1983, and I stayed in the Mermaid: by then with an extension (including a double-storey bit?), and a lot more trees and landscaping.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Great photos Bazil , I worked up at Tom price for a couple years 1975-77 started with H.I. and went to John Holand . Ive got some photos of trucks [acars] ect. but im still not much good at putting them up here . When I left there I came back here and started driving b....y trucks , that Emu export has a lot to answer for ! Rob .