Gigantic iron reserve discovered in Australia may redefine mining, geology

Geologists have uncovered a colossal iron ore reserve deep within Western Australia, a discovery with far-reaching implications for global markets and our understanding of Earth’s geological history.

This breakthrough challenges longstanding scientific theories and could transform the global mining industry, Caliber.Az reports via Daily Galaxy.

Located in the Pilbara region—an arid expanse known for its rich mineral resources—the newly identified deposit in the Hamersley area is estimated at about 55 billion metric tons, boasting iron content exceeding 60 per cent. Experts say this makes it the largest and highest-quality iron ore reserve ever found.

Valued at nearly $6 trillion, the discovery marks a pivotal moment for mining worldwide. Dr. Liam Courtney-Davis, a geologist at Curtin University involved in the research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, described it as “a fundamental shift for the entire mining sector.” The deposit’s size and purity could influence global iron prices and reshape trade relationships, particularly between Australia and major importers like China.

Earlier methods dated the geological formations at around 2.2 billion years old, but recent isotopic analysis—focusing on uranium and lead isotopes—revised this to about 1.4 billion years. Associate Professor Martin Danisík, a geochronologist on the team, noted, “The discovery of a link between these giant iron ore deposits and changes in supercontinent cycles improves our understanding of ancient geological processes.” The findings suggest that Earth’s shifting crustal movements millions of years ago created the conditions for these massive mineral accumulations.

Advanced dating and chemical analysis techniques were crucial to revealing not only the deposit’s scale but its exceptional quality—more than double previous iron content estimates.

Beyond economics, this find challenges existing views of Earth’s geological evolution and opens doors for further exploration. Scientists hope it will lead to discovering other vast mineral reserves in similar geological settings around the world.

By Naila Huseynova