Iluka mine rail infrastructure
A $3.97 million grant from RDV's Infrastructure Development Fund will help build vital rail infrastructure to transport heavy mineral concentrate extracted from the Iluka mine site at Ouyen.
Building a rail loading facility at Hopetoun and a rail siding and unloading facility at the Iluka Mineral Separation Plant in Hamilton will focus the mineral industry on rail transport.
Investing in rail infrastructure provides an efficient and environmentally-friendly mode of transport for this vital industry. The social, environmental and economic benefits include safer roads and improved amenity for residents living along the Henty Highway in Cavendish, Hamilton, Hopetoun, Horsham and Warracknabeal, as well as boosting the rail network.
Using rail to transport Iluka's mineral sands will increase the volume of freight on the regional freight network by about 25 per cent, reversing the trend of reducing rail volumes in the State. This initiative will help improve network utilisation and increase the likelihood of future use from other mineral extraction sites.
The capital investment totalling $6.5 million is expected to save more than 20,000 heavy vehicle trips a year between Hopetoun and Hamilton.
