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Koolan Island

January 01, 1970

Koolan Island is an island off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia in the Buccaneer Archipelago. It is about 1,900 km (1,181 miles) north of Perth, and about 130 km (81 mi) north of Derby. It hosts deposits of high-grade iron ore.

Description edit

The island is approximately 13 km (8 mi) in length and 4 km (2.5 mi) at its widest point. It encompasses an area of 2,580 ha (6,375 acres).[1][2] The island is 750 m (2,460 ft) offshore, with a smaller island, Round Island, between Koolan and the mainland.

Composed of a Paleoproterozoic Statherian-age (1,600 to 1,800 million years old) sedimentary sequence of quartz sandstone, hematitic sandstone, feldspathic sandstone, siltstone, and hematitic conglomerate, the island has a rugged dissected terrain. Ridges have thin stony sandy soils. The highest point of the island is at 168 m (551 ft).[2][3]

Mining edit

BHP era edit

BHP subsidiary Australian Iron & Steel commenced open-pit mining operations on Koolan and neighbouring Cockatoo Island in 1951, shipping ore on company-owned ships to Port Kembla. By 1963 it had established substantial mining operations there. The Koolan Island mine closed in 1994 after BHP had extracted 68 million tonnes of high-grade haematite ore, averaging 67% iron.[4]

At its peak, Koolan Island had a population of 950 people and had a school, police station, recreation facilities and shops. It had the world's then-longest golf course hole – an 860 yards par 7 number 6 which doubled as the island's air strip.

Major rehabilitation of the island was undertaken after the mine closure, with buildings and exotic vegetation removed. Extensive replanting of native species has been undertaken.

Aztec–Mount Gibson Iron edit

On completion of mining operations in 1993 the base of Main Pit was 80 metres below sea level. BHP excavated a channel from the ocean to allow seven million cubic metres of sea water to flood the pit, allowing a productive photic zone marine eco-system to develop within the bounds of the former working pit. In 2007 Mount Gibson Iron re-commenced mining at Koolan Island. In 2011 a seawall was completed on the ocean side of Main Pit to allow that pit to be dewatered.[5][6][1]

Earlier, in April 2006, the company signed a co-existence agreement with two Aboriginal Australian peoples, the Dambimangari (Dambima/Worrorra-Ngardi) traditional owners of the island. The agreement aims to ensure that 30% of the 220 person workforce is filled by Indigenous people by the eighth year of operation.[7]

On 18 August 2006, Aztec announced that it had signed orders with the Chinese group CITIC for 1.5 MT of ore from 2007.[8] In November 2006, Mount Gibson Iron took over Aztec.[9]

In 2014, the main seawall failed and the mine was flooded. The seawall was rebuilt and reinforced[10] and the pit is being dewatered again as of August 2018. Shipments of iron ore to China recommenced April 2019.[11]

As of 2020 Mount Gibson still operates the mine.[12]

Aircraft crash edit

On 23 December 1984, a single-engined Cessna 210 aircraft, which had just taken off from the island en route to Broome, struck power lines and somersaulted. Six people were killed.[13]

It appears the aircraft may have been overloaded with passengers and fuel at the time. The plane took off with the wind from the south across the strip rather than over the ocean and submarine rock. The gravel strip at the time had been affected by a cyclone in the area on the previous days.[citation needed]

First Baby Born edit

24th of December 1975, baby girl named Christine.

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ a b "Koolan Island Iron Ore Mine and Port Facility Project - Marine Management Plan Revision" (PDF). Perth, WA: Mt Gibson Iron. 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b Sue O'Connor (1989). . Australian Archeology. University of Queensland. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  3. ^ Tyler, I. M.; Griffin, T. J. (1 December 1993). "Explanatory notes on the Yampi 1:250 000 Geological Sheet, Western Australia". 1 :250 000 Geological Series-Explanatory Notes. Perth: Geological Survey of Western Australia: 23. ISSN 0729-3720. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  4. ^ "First Yampi Ore". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 30 July 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  5. ^ Koolan Island Iron Ore Mine and Port Facility (PDF). Perth, WA: Environmental Protection Authority. November 2005. ISBN 0 7307 6844 9.
  6. ^ Driscoll, Andrew M.; Antenucci, Jason P.; Schmied, Lauren D.; Bhautoo, Prema S.; Collie, Troy (30 December 2018). "Marine Modelling in Support of Koolan Island Mine Recommencement and Eventual Decommissioning". Coastal Engineering Proceedings. 1 (36). doi:10.9753/icce.v36.risk.86.
  7. ^ "Aztec Resources Ltd Announcements - Aztec Resources Ltd: Koolan Island Agreement". Investegate. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  8. ^ . ABC News. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011.
  9. ^ "Mount Gibson to swallow Aztec Resources". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 November 2006. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  10. ^ Fowler, Courtney (24 January 2019). "Crocs, sharks and stingrays: The hazards of mining below sea level". ABC Rural. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  11. ^ Zhou, Vanessa (24 April 2019). "Mount Gibson restarts Koolan Island shipments to China". Australian Mining. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Mt Gibson Iron". Mount Gibson Iron (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Investigation: 198404513 - Cessna 210 L, VH-MDI, Koolan Island WA, 23 December 1984". Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Retrieved 3 October 2021.

References edit

  • A Job well done : the Koolan Island achievement. Perth, W.A. BHP Minerals, 1992. ISBN 0-86769-024-0
  • Biological inventory of Koolan Island, Western Australia. Part 1. Flora and vegetation. in Records of the Western Australian Museum, Vol. 17, no. 3 (1995), p. 237-248
  • Koolan Island - cave discovered containing (Pleistocene) Aboriginal archaeological material Iron ore chronicle, Vol. 234 (March 1989), p. 6.

External links edit

16°07′31″S 123°44′18″E / 16.12528°S 123.73833°E / -16.12528; 123.73833

January 01, 1970
koolan, island, island, kimberley, coast, western, australia, buccaneer, archipelago, about, miles, north, perth, about, north, derby, hosts, deposits, high, grade, iron, contents, description, mining, aztec, mount, gibson, iron, aircraft, crash, first, baby, . Koolan Island is an island off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia in the Buccaneer Archipelago It is about 1 900 km 1 181 miles north of Perth and about 130 km 81 mi north of Derby It hosts deposits of high grade iron ore Contents 1 Description 2 Mining 2 1 BHP era 2 2 Aztec Mount Gibson Iron 3 Aircraft crash 4 First Baby Born 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksDescription editThe island is approximately 13 km 8 mi in length and 4 km 2 5 mi at its widest point It encompasses an area of 2 580 ha 6 375 acres 1 2 The island is 750 m 2 460 ft offshore with a smaller island Round Island between Koolan and the mainland Composed of a Paleoproterozoic Statherian age 1 600 to 1 800 million years old sedimentary sequence of quartz sandstone hematitic sandstone feldspathic sandstone siltstone and hematitic conglomerate the island has a rugged dissected terrain Ridges have thin stony sandy soils The highest point of the island is at 168 m 551 ft 2 3 Mining editBHP era edit BHP subsidiary Australian Iron amp Steel commenced open pit mining operations on Koolan and neighbouring Cockatoo Island in 1951 shipping ore on company owned ships to Port Kembla By 1963 it had established substantial mining operations there The Koolan Island mine closed in 1994 after BHP had extracted 68 million tonnes of high grade haematite ore averaging 67 iron 4 At its peak Koolan Island had a population of 950 people and had a school police station recreation facilities and shops It had the world s then longest golf course hole an 860 yards par 7 number 6 which doubled as the island s air strip Major rehabilitation of the island was undertaken after the mine closure with buildings and exotic vegetation removed Extensive replanting of native species has been undertaken Aztec Mount Gibson Iron edit On completion of mining operations in 1993 the base of Main Pit was 80 metres below sea level BHP excavated a channel from the ocean to allow seven million cubic metres of sea water to flood the pit allowing a productive photic zone marine eco system to develop within the bounds of the former working pit In 2007 Mount Gibson Iron re commenced mining at Koolan Island In 2011 a seawall was completed on the ocean side of Main Pit to allow that pit to be dewatered 5 6 1 Earlier in April 2006 the company signed a co existence agreement with two Aboriginal Australian peoples the Dambimangari Dambima Worrorra Ngardi traditional owners of the island The agreement aims to ensure that 30 of the 220 person workforce is filled by Indigenous people by the eighth year of operation 7 On 18 August 2006 Aztec announced that it had signed orders with the Chinese group CITIC for 1 5 MT of ore from 2007 8 In November 2006 Mount Gibson Iron took over Aztec 9 In 2014 the main seawall failed and the mine was flooded The seawall was rebuilt and reinforced 10 and the pit is being dewatered again as of August 2018 Shipments of iron ore to China recommenced April 2019 11 As of 2020 update Mount Gibson still operates the mine 12 Aircraft crash editOn 23 December 1984 a single engined Cessna 210 aircraft which had just taken off from the island en route to Broome struck power lines and somersaulted Six people were killed 13 It appears the aircraft may have been overloaded with passengers and fuel at the time The plane took off with the wind from the south across the strip rather than over the ocean and submarine rock The gravel strip at the time had been affected by a cyclone in the area on the previous days citation needed First Baby Born edit24th of December 1975 baby girl named Christine Footnotes edit a b Koolan Island Iron Ore Mine and Port Facility Project Marine Management Plan Revision PDF Perth WA Mt Gibson Iron 2015 Retrieved 9 November 2020 a b Sue O Connor 1989 New radiocarbon dates from Koolan Island West Kimberley WA Australian Archeology University of Queensland Archived from the original on 10 August 2014 Retrieved 10 August 2014 Tyler I M Griffin T J 1 December 1993 Explanatory notes on the Yampi 1 250 000 Geological Sheet Western Australia 1 250 000 Geological Series Explanatory Notes Perth Geological Survey of Western Australia 23 ISSN 0729 3720 Retrieved 9 November 2020 First Yampi Ore The West Australian Perth WA 30 July 1951 p 3 Retrieved 12 May 2020 Koolan Island Iron Ore Mine and Port Facility PDF Perth WA Environmental Protection Authority November 2005 ISBN 0 7307 6844 9 Driscoll Andrew M Antenucci Jason P Schmied Lauren D Bhautoo Prema S Collie Troy 30 December 2018 Marine Modelling in Support of Koolan Island Mine Recommencement and Eventual Decommissioning Coastal Engineering Proceedings 1 36 doi 10 9753 icce v36 risk 86 Aztec Resources Ltd Announcements Aztec Resources Ltd Koolan Island Agreement Investegate 24 April 2006 Retrieved 10 November 2020 Iron ore supplier Aztec strikes deal with China ABC News Archived from the original on 3 June 2011 Mount Gibson to swallow Aztec Resources Sydney Morning Herald 28 November 2006 Retrieved 10 November 2020 Fowler Courtney 24 January 2019 Crocs sharks and stingrays The hazards of mining below sea level ABC Rural Retrieved 21 October 2019 Zhou Vanessa 24 April 2019 Mount Gibson restarts Koolan Island shipments to China Australian Mining Retrieved 21 October 2019 Mt Gibson Iron Mount Gibson Iron in Kinyarwanda Retrieved 10 November 2020 Investigation 198404513 Cessna 210 L VH MDI Koolan Island WA 23 December 1984 Australian Transport Safety Bureau Retrieved 3 October 2021 References editA Job well done the Koolan Island achievement Perth W A BHP Minerals 1992 ISBN 0 86769 024 0 Biological inventory of Koolan Island Western Australia Part 1 Flora and vegetation in Records of the Western Australian Museum Vol 17 no 3 1995 p 237 248 Koolan Island cave discovered containing Pleistocene Aboriginal archaeological material Iron ore chronicle Vol 234 March 1989 p 6 External links editKoolan Island transcript from George Negus Tonight 21 June 2004 Credit Suisse investors report permanent dead link 11 March 2005 Aztec Resources Commences Construction on Koolan Island Project permanent dead link from Yahoo Finance F 26 June 2006 Mount Gibson press release 2 August 2018 16 07 31 S 123 44 18 E 16 12528 S 123 73833 E 16 12528 123 73833 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Koolan Island amp oldid 1187599049, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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