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Western Australia’s Pilbara region is bracing for what is anticipated to be its most powerful tropical cyclone in a decade — one that could have a severe impact on one of the largest iron ore hubs in the world.
Upgraded to a category four storm — one below the top category — on Thursday morning, residents across the region were sent scrambling to secure staples in time and evacuate as Ilsa fast approached.
Following a further update on Thursday afternoon, Cyclone Ilsa was again upgraded to the feared category five, expected to strike around 11:00 pm local time.
The weather event is predicted to make its way southeast on Thursday evening as it moves towards the coast of Port Hedland.
What Cyclone Ilsa is expected to bring?
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a cyclone warning along a wide area of WA’s north coast, between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland.
Forecasters are expecting severe winds, accompanied by rainfall of between 200 to 400 millimetres.
“When it crosses the coast, winds close to the core of the cyclone may possibly reach as much as 275km/h,” BOM’s Miriam Bradbury said.
The BOM is anticipating that it will keep its intensity as it goes through the town of Telfer and toward the Northern Interior District.
It is expected to ease as it enters the Northern Territory on Friday.
Nonetheless, heavy rain is anticipated for inland parts of the Pilbara, with some falls exceeding 100 millimetres — equivalent to years worth of rain in some parts.
There is no doubt that such rainfall and winds are likely to impact various mine sites, but time will tell as to the severity of the damage.
And even if some sites are left unscathed, mining companies, big and small, with operations in the Pilbara could be affected by the temporary closure of the Port Hedland port for the first time since 2019, halting exports.
ASX-listed Pilbara players
In light of the anticipated Cyclone Ilsa, Pilbara’s Ports Authority issued a release that all vessels were cleared from Port Hedland’s port limits by 6:00 pm yesterday.
It marks the first time since 2019 that the port has been forced to close after Cyclone Veronica brought with it winds of more than 200 kilometres per hour and caused port closures for five days, affecting Rio Tinto’s (RIO), BHP’s (BHP) and FMG’s (FMG) production.
With Ilsa putting a hold on some exports out of Port Hedland, the catastrophic winds and rainfall are also likely to take their toll on the mining sites in the region.
Newcrest (NCM) has reportedly pulled onsite staffing from its Telfer operations in the region, which resides a mere 400 kilometres from the port.
BHP followed a similar fashion, pausing non-essential travel to Port Hedland and returning non-critical personnel to Perth.
“The safety of our people is our first priority and we are taking all necessary precautions to ensure their wellbeing,” a spokesperson from BHP commented.
“Site preparations have been finalised in line with our cyclone response plans, including tying down equipment and removing all employees safely from our Port Hedland sites.”
Despite this, the mining giant confirmed that its iron ore mines would continue to operate as it closely monitored the progress of the cyclone.
BHP Group’s (BHP) Jimblebar project is one of five mines that make up Western Australian Iron Ore — an integrated system of joint ventures connecting 1000 kilometres of rail and port.
Pilbara Minerals (PLS) Pilgangoora project could also be affected by Ilsa. It hosts one of the world’s largest hard rock lithium-tantalum deposits and is recognised as one of the most important sources of lithium raw materials globally.
To small caps, Flinders Mines’ (FMS) Pilbara Iron Ore Project (PIOP) is also located in the region. In its developmental stage toward production, time will tell as to whether or not operations or personnel will be required to be removed from the operations.
The impact of Cyclone Ilsa on the Pilbara region and its mining operations remains to be seen, but with the potential for catastrophic winds and rainfall, only one can hope for positive news to come from the expected forecast.
