MinRes Pens Joint Venture with Traditional Owners for Onslow Iron Project

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN,OTCQB:MALRF), through its subsidiary CSI Mining Services, has entered a joint venture with Robe River Services to place traditional owners of the Onslow iron project at the centre of sustainable economic participation.

Robe River Services is under the Robe River Kuruma (RRK) Aboriginal Corporation.

The joint venture, also known as Yardi Mining Services, aims to reset the standard for contracts involving the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

“(It is) more than a contractual arrangement,” said RRK Aboriginal Corporation and RRS Chairperson Kelly Slattery. “It is about genuine co-ownership, shared decision-making and long-term impact … (embedding) the RRK community as equal partners from the outset.”

The announcement highlighted that the JV deliberately chose to operate entirely on RRK Country in the efforts of “doing it the right way.”

Slattery added that there needs to be respect, cultural alignment and local knowledge.

Mineral Resources Chief Executive for Mining Mike Grey also commented on the JV, saying that its unique aspect lies in its “holistic approach to community engagement, helping develop a skilled and capable workforce that can support the community's economic growth for years to come.”

The company added that it has proudly contributed over AU$70 million to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business spend in its 2025 financial year, particularly aiming to support communities where it holds operations.

On Monday (October 27), the company said that it will receive the AU$200 million contingent payment from Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (MSIP) in early November under the Onslow Iron Road Trust.

The Onslow Iron Road Trust generates an inflation-adjusted fee on each tonne of iron ore exported from the Onslow iron project.

Investment funds managed by MSIP paid AU$1.1 billion in September 2024 for a 49 percent stake in the trust. The additional AU$200 million will bring the total deal earnings to AU$1.3 billion.

“We remain focused on safely operating Onslow iron at nameplate capacity going forward,” the statement read.

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Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.