Red Hawk Mining says it has entered into a strategic partnership with MGM Bulk Pty Ltd (MGM Bulk) for the haulage of iron ore from the company’s 100%-owned Blacksmith iron ore project, in Western Australia, to the Utah Point bulk handling facility in Port Hedland.

The haulage agreement enables Red Hawk and MGM Bulk to work collaboratively through the prefeasibility study (PFS) and definitive feasibility study (DFS) phases to develop and optimise the transport and logistics strategy, focusing on maximising productivity and reducing unit operating costs, the company says.

Following completion of the studies, MGM Bulk has the exclusive right to enter into a haulage services agreement on terms equivalent to those contained in the DFS. MGM Bulk will be responsible for providing a fleet of 150 t ultra-quad trucks and drivers plus associated loading and other equipment and infrastructure.

In a February presentation deck, Red Hawk Mining claimed over 200,000 m of drilling has defined the largest direct shipping ore (DSO) resource of any ASX-listed junior iron ore company (excluding magnetite) at Blacksmith with 174 Mt at 60% Fe. It said there was potential for thee project to be a long-term supplier of at least 3 Mt/y of 60.5% Fe DSO for over 20 years.

Red Hawk’s Managing Director, Steven Michael, said: “We are excited to work with the team at MGM Bulk to establish a haulage strategy optimised for the Blacksmith project. MGM Bulk’s operations in the Pilbara, centred around delivering iron ore into the Utah Point, are second to none. Their fleet size, quality, operational performance and safety record are critical factors in ensuring the success of the Blacksmith project.

“Our PFS team is working closely with MGM Bulk’s commercial and operations team to deliver operating and capital cost estimates with a high degree of certainty, which can easily be translated into an operational haulage contract.”

MGM Bulk’s CEO, Michael Giacci, added: “We are immensely proud to be forging a long-term partnership with Red Hawk Mining on the mine-to-port haulage solutions for their Blacksmith iron ore project.”