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Jindalee Lithium
Investor Insight
With compelling economic metrics demonstrated through its new prefeasibility study, Jindalee Lithium’s McDermitt Project presents a strong case for investors to gain exposure to this critical mineral and participate in the global clean energy transition.
Overview
Jindalee Lithium (ASX:JLL,OTCQX:JNDAF) is an Australia-based pure-play US lithium company focused exclusively on its 100-percent-owned McDermitt Lithium Project, currently one of the largest lithium deposits in the US, boasting a resource of 21.5 million tons (Mt) of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).
Backed by a newly released (November 2024) prefeasibility study (PFS) demonstrating very compelling economics, the McDermitt Project is poised to play a crucial role in meeting North America’s growing lithium demand for the lucrative battery value chain.
As the US continues to transition to energy independence, demand for lithium is expected to exponentially increase. Jindalee’s McDermitt Project, located in southeast Oregon, is a game-changer for North American lithium supply, critical for meeting the demands of the fast-growing electric vehicle, energy storage and defense sectors.
McDermitt also stands to significantly benefit from the US government’s policies and incentives to boost domestic supply of critical resources. In fact, in a move that signifies the US government's support of the McDermitt Lithium Project, the US Department of Energy's Ames National Laboratory signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Jindalee's subsidiary HiTech Minerals to develop cutting-edge extraction methods for the McDermitt Project. The Ames National Laboratory spearheads the DOE's Critical Materials Innovation Hub.
Key milestones in the US lithium resource space also provide significant insights into the future prospects for Jindalee’s project. Lithium Americas (TSX:LAC), for instance, has received a total of US$945 million investment from General Motors, which will fund the development, construction and operation of the Thacker Pass project in Humboldt County, Nevada. In October 2024 LAC closed a $2.3 billion loan from the US Department of Energy and in April 2025 announced the Final Investment Decision for Thacker Pass following a $250 million investment from Orion Resource Partners.
Another lithium resource developer in Nevada, Australia-based Ioneer (ASX:INR) has closed a US$996 million loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy to finance the development of its flagship Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project.
The US government has taken further action to bolster domestic critical mineral production. On 20 March 2025, President Trump issued a significant executive order titled "Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production", underscoring the urgency and strategic imperative of increasing domestic supply chains for critical minerals. This order builds on previous initiatives by fast-tracking the permitting processes, prioritizing access to mineral-rich federal lands, clarifying regulatory frameworks, and mobilizing substantial financial resources – including Defense Production Act (DPA) funds – towards domestic mineral projects.
As one of the largest lithium resources in the US and situated on federal lands, Jindalee’s McDermitt Lithium Project stands to potentially benefit from these accelerated permitting processes and enhanced government support mechanisms. The clear commitment demonstrated by the US administration highlights the critical strategic advantage of domestically located mineral assets such as McDermitt, reinforcing its importance in securing robust domestic supply chains, essential for energy security
These are just a few examples of current market dynamics that point to a rapidly accelerating lithium resource development in the US.
An experienced management team, with the right blend of experience and expertise in geology, corporate administration and international finance, leads Jindalee to fully capitalize on the potential of its assets.
Company Highlights
- Jindalee Lithium is focused on its wholly owned flagship McDermitt Lithium Project, one of the largest lithium deposits in the US.
- McDermitt’s new prefeasibility study shows strong project economics, including a US$3.23 post-tax NPV8 based on the first 40 years of a 63 year-year mine life.
- Jindalee is committed to strengthening the North American critical minerals supply chain by reducing US reliance on foreign lithium, thereby enhancing energy security.
- The company’s wholly owned US subsidiary HiTech Minerals Inc, has executed a strategic Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Ames National Laboratory, which leads the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub.
- The company’s McDermitt deposit is sediment-hosted, an emerging style of lithium deposit with the potential to be a large scale, long-life, low-cost source of lithium.
- Ideally positioned to benefit from US administration’s push to increased domestic mineral production via permitting reformed increased funding.
- An experienced management team leads Jindalee towards capitalizing on the potential of its assets.
Key Project
McDermitt Lithium Project Economics
The economic metrics revealed in the PFS paint a compelling picture of the McDermitt Lithium Project's potential:
Production Capacity: The Project is set to produce 1.8 Mt of battery-grade lithium carbonate over its first 40 years, with an annual output forecast of 47,500 tons per annum (tpa) in the initial 10 years, tapering to 44,300 tpa over the first 40 years.
Financial Metrics: The Project boasts a net present value (NPV) of US$3.23 billion at an 8 percent discount rate, with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 17.9 percent. These figures underscore the Project’s strong economic viability.
Payback Period: Investors can expect a payback period of less than five years, a relatively short timeframe for a project of this magnitude.
Break-even Price: The break-even NPV price is approximately US$14,600/t of lithium carbonate, providing a buffer against market fluctuations.
The PFS estimates a total project cost of US$3.02 billion, which includes a prudent 21 percent contingency margin. This substantial investment is balanced by impressive profitability projections, including an EBITDA margin of 66 percent generating post-tax free cash flow of US$6.6 billion during the first decade of operations. With a pre-tax net operating cashflow margin of 17 percent at current spot prices, McDermitt shows strong cash generation potential.
These financial indicators suggest that McDermitt is not only economically viable but potentially highly profitable, positioning it as an attractive prospect for investors and strategic partners alike.
Project Overview
The McDermitt Project is located in Malheur County on the Oregon-Nevada border and is approximately 35 kilometres west of the town of McDermitt. The 100-percent-owned asset covers 54.6 square kilometres of claims at the northern end of the McDermitt volcanic caldera.
The Project is characterized by its unique sedimentary lithium deposits, primarily composed of lithium-bearing clays, a geological formation that sets McDermitt apart from many other lithium projects worldwide. This sedimentary nature of the deposit offers several advantages:
- Consistent grade distribution throughout the ore body
- Potential for large-scale, low-cost mining operations
- Amenability to environmentally friendly extraction methods
The lithium-rich clays at McDermitt are part of a broader geological context that includes volcanic tuffs and sedimentary rocks. This geological setting is indicative of a complex depositional history, which has resulted in the concentration of lithium in economically viable quantities.
The 2023 mineral resources estimate (MRE) for the McDermitt Project contains a combined indicated and inferred mineral resource inventory of 3 billion tons at 1,340 parts per million (ppm) lithium for a total of 21.5 Mt LCE at 1,000 ppm cut-off grade.
Project Highlights:
- Rare Sediment-hosted Lithium Deposits: The McDermitt asset supports low-cost mining operations due to its flat-lying sediments. This type of lithium deposit is amenable to low-cost mining operations, while still producing excellent metallurgical results.
- A 62 percent resource increase in early 2023: Compilation of the 2022 drilling results saw the estimated indicated and inferred resources at McDermitt increase to 3 billion tons at 1,340 ppm lithium, a 62 percent increase in contained lithium.
- Fluor recommended processing route: In March 2023, US engineering group Fluor reviewed all testwork undertaken at McDermitt and recommended beneficiation and acid leaching as the optimal processing route.
- Battery-grade lithium carbonate successfully produced in July 2024: The production is an important milestone validating all steps of the processing flowsheet for the project from ore beneficiation and leaching to purification and production of battery-grade lithium carbonate.
- Completion of the PFS outlines large scale, long life and low cost source of American made battery grade lithium chemicals (November 2024)
Management Team
Ian Rodger - Chief Executive Officer
Ian Rodger is a qualified mining business executive with almost 15 years of experience in various roles including as a mining engineer for Rio Tinto across two large greenfield mine developments, before successfully transitioning into mining corporate finance where he held Executive and Director positions at RFC Ambrian overseeing origination and management of numerous mandates across a range of corporate advisory roles. Rodger was the project director for Oz Minerals (ASX:OZL) where he made significant contributions to successfully define the value potential of the West Musgrave nickel/copper province through the delivery of a portfolio of growth studies. Most notably, he led technical, market and partnership development workstreams, successfully confirming value potential for producing an intermediate Nickel product for the battery value chain.
Rodger holds a Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of Queensland, a Masters of Mineral Economics from Curtin University and is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Lindsay Dudfield - Executive Director
Lindsay Dudfield is a geologist with over 40 years of experience in multi-commodity exploration, primarily within Australia. He held senior positions with the mineral divisions of Amoco and Exxon. In 1987, he became a founding director of Dalrymple Resources NL and spent the following eight years helping acquire and explore Dalrymple’s properties, leading to several greenfield discoveries. In late 1994, Lindsay joined the board of Horizon Mining NL (Jindalee Lithium’s predecessor) and has been responsible for managing Jindalee Lithium since inception. Lindsay is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, the Geological Society of Australia and the Society of Economic Geologists. He is also a non-executive director of Jindalee spin-out companies Energy Metals (ASX:EME), Dynamic Metals (ASX:DYM) and Alchemy Resources (ASX:ALY).
Wayne Zekulich - Non-executive Chair
Wayne Zekulich was appointed to the board as Chair on 1 February 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Business and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Zekulich is a consultant and non-executive director who has substantial experience in advising, structuring and financing transactions in the infrastructure and resources sectors. He was previously the head of Rothschild in Perth, chief financial officer of Gindalbie Metals Limited, chief development officer of Oakajee Port and Rail and a consultant to a global investment bank. Currently, he is chair of Pantoro (ASX:PNR) and non-executive director of the Western Australian Treasury Corporation. In the not-for-profit sector, he is the past chair of the Lester Prize and is a mentor in the Kilfinan program.
Darren Wates - Non-executive Director
Darren Wates is a corporate lawyer with over 23 years of experience in equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, resources, project acquisitions/divestments and corporate governance gained through private practice and in-house roles in Western Australia. Wates is the founder and principal of Corpex Legal, a Perth-based legal practice providing corporate, commercial and resources related legal services, primarily to small and mid-cap ASX listed companies. In this role, he has provided consulting general counsel services to ASX listed company Neometals (ASX:NMT), having previously been employed as legal counsel of Neometals. Wates holds Bachelor's degrees in Law and Commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.
Paul Brown - Non-executive Director
Paul Brown has over 23 years of experience in the mining industry, most recently with Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) where he was chief executive – lithium, and chief executive – commodities. Brown has held senior operating roles with Leighton, HWE and Fortescue (ASX:FMG) and has a strong track record in technical leadership, project/studies management, and mine planning and management. Brown is currently CEO of Core Lithium (ASX:CXO). He holds a Master in Mine Engineering.
Brett Marsh - VP Geology and Development (US)
Brett Marsh is an AIPG certified professional geologist and a registered member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) with over 25 years of diverse mining and geological experience. He has worked for and held senior leadership roles for Kastan Mining, Luna Gold, Kiska Metals, Newmont, Freeport-McMoRan, Phelps Dodge, ASARCO and consulted to deliver numerous NI 43-101 technical reports. Marsh has demonstrated the ability to deliver results in culturally diverse and geographically difficult environments, such as Brazil, Peru, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, Indonesia, Australia, and has also worked in remote areas of Alaska. He has managed all phases of the mining lifecycle including greenfield and brownfield exploration, project development (including preliminary economic assessments, pre-feasibility and feasibility), project construction, mine operations, and environmental. He successfully led multi-cultural teams to develop business processes and implementation plans for many mine development and operational projects.
Inside Billionaire Gina Rinehart's Key Mining Investments
In addition to Arafura, entrepreneur Rinehart’s investment portfolio contains other ex-China, green-transition-focused companies like Australian lithium firm Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR,OTC Pink:LINRF), as well as rare earths producers MP Materials (NYSE:MP) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC,OTC Pink:LYSCF). Rinehart’s role in the acquisition of Azure Minerals’ Andover lithium project in Western Australia alongside lithium giant SQM (NYSE:SQM) also made headlines.
In this article
- Who is Gina Rinehart?
- How did Gina Rinehart get rich?
- What mining companies does Gina Rinehart own?
- Where does Hancock Prospecting mine iron?
- Gina Rinehart’s iron ore investments
- Gina Rinehart’s lithium investments
- Gina Rinehart’s rare earths investments
- Gina Rinehart’s copper investments
- Gina Rinehart’s oil and gas investments
- Gina Rinehart’s potash and agriculture investments
- FAQs for Gina Rinehart
Who is Gina Rinehart?
Gina Rinehart is an Australian iron ore magnate and the executive chair of Hancock Prospecting, as well as the richest person in Australia and one of the world’s richest women. Rinehart is the daughter of Australian mining mogul and Hancock Prospecting founder, the late Lang Hancock. As the current executive chair of Hancock Prospecting, Rinehart won the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from CEO Magazine in 2019.
Rinehart was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2022 for her “distinguished service to the mining sector, to the community through philanthropic initiatives, and to sport as a patron.”
How did Gina Rinehart get rich?
Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting acquired the Roy Hill tenements in 1993. Centering the massive project as the cornerstone of the company, Hancock Prospecting has greatly benefited from the iron ore market boom that began in the early 2000s.
Today, Roy Hill is Australia’s largest iron ore mine, producing 60 million to 70 million tonnes of iron ore per year. Success at Roy Hill has made Hancock Prospecting Australia’s most valuable private company at an estimated AU$15.6 billion.
As with many of the world’s most successful billionaires, Gina Rinehart has developed an investment strategy based on strategic partnerships as well as diversification to mitigate risk and build value. Under her leadership, Hancock Prospecting Pty Limited (HPPL) as well as the HPPL Group of companies has expanded into some of the world’s most economically important markets, such as real estate, agriculture, energy and critical metals.
For the 2024 fiscal year, Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting reported a bumper profit of AU$5.6 billion, up 10 percent from the previous year.
What mining companies does Gina Rinehart own?
Through her company Hancock Prospecting, Gina Rinehart owns interest in mining companies across many sectors, including iron ore, lithium, rare earths, copper, oil and gas, as well as potash.
While much of her investment portfolio is focused on Australia and ASX companies, Rinehart is actively strengthening the geographical diversification of her investments.
In recent years, Rinehart has made a series of key investments in mining companies, especially targeting critical metals projects in Germany, Brazil, Ecuador and the United States. These include exploration-stage firms such as Titan Minerals (ASX:TTM) and Azure Minerals as well as producers such as Atlas Iron and MP Materials.
Where does Hancock Prospecting mine iron?
Vehicles hauling ore at Roy Hill iron ore mine.
Photo of Roy Hill iron ore mine via Roy Hill.
Hancock Prospecting’s Roy Hill and Hope Downs iron ore mines are in Western Australia's resource-rich Pilbara region.
Roy Hill has attracted strategic partnerships with major global enterprises: Marubeni (TSE:8002) has a 15 percent equity stake, POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX,KRX:005490) has a 12.5 percent stake and China Steel (TPE:2002) has a 2.5 percent stake. The minority partners purchase a combined 28.75 million tonnes of iron ore annually from Roy Hill’s production.
In September 2024, Hancock Prospecting got the green light for its AU$600 million McPhee iron mine located about 100 kilometres north of the Roy Hill mine after a long approval process.
The McPhee iron mine is expected to produce around 10 million tonnes of the metal each year over an estimated 15 year mine life. First production is expected to kick off next year, and ore will be transported by road trains to Roy Hill for processing and blending. The goal is to improve the larger mine's product mix and sustain its production volumes.
The Hope Downs iron ore complex is another of Australia’s largest iron ore projects. A 50/50 joint venture partnership with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO), Hope Downs hosts four open-pit mines and has an annual production capacity of 47 million tonnes. Hope Downs has also been the subject of a more than decade-long civil dispute in a Western Australian court over royalties, put forth by the descendants of Lang Hancock's business partner Peter Wright as well as Rinehart’s own children.
Gina Rinehart’s iron ore investments
Gina Rinehart’s iron ore investments in Western Australia extend beyond Roy Hill and Hill Downs to Atlas Iron’s three producing mines and a pipeline of development projects.
Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting acquired Atlas Iron in 2018 through a AU$427 million deal that turned out to be dirt cheap as the company would go on to deliver AU$1.5 billion in revenues over the next three years alone.
Today, Atlas Mines operates the Mount Webber, Sanjiv Ridge and Miralga Creek mines. Production from these mines in its fiscal year ended June 2023 led to a AU$222 million dividend payment for Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting.
As of July 1, 2025, Hancock Prospecting has consolidated its Roy Hill and Atlas Iron under the new name Hancock Iron Ore. The new entity represents combined iron ore exports of about 74 million tonnes per year.
Additionally, Hancock has an earn-in agreement on Legacy Iron Ore (ASX:LCY) and Hawthorn Resources’ (ASX:HAW) Mount Bevan project through its subsidiary Hancock Magnetite Holdings.
At Mount Bevan, as part of its earn-in agreement, Hancock completed a prefeasibility study (PFS) for a 12 million tonne per year high-grade magnetite project in July 2024. The PFS incorporates a resource estimate totalling 1,291 million tonnes, which was completed by Atlas, and delineates a capital cost of AU$5 billion to develop Mount Bevan.
Completion of the PFS increased Hancock’s stake in the joint venture from 30 percent to 51 percent, with Legacy now holding 29.4 percent and Hawthorn holding 19.6 percent.
Like iron, coal is another essential material in steel manufacturing. To this end, Rinehart is also pursuing an investment in a past-producing metallurgical coal mine in Alberta, Canada. Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Northback Holdings is the owner of the proposed Grassy Mountain steelmaking coal project in the province’s Crowsnest Pass region.
Exploration licences for the Northback project were greenlit by Alberta regulators in May 2025.
Gina Rinehart’s lithium investments
Gina Rinehart's lithium investments include Azure Minerals’ (ASX:AZS) Andover lithium project, Liontown Resources, Delta Lithium (ASX:DLI) and Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL).
The majority of her lithium investments came in a flurry in 2023 and 2024.
In June 2023, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting signed a separate joint venture earn-in agreement for the Mount Bevan magnetite project discussed above, this time for the lithium, nickel and copper mineralization at the project. The agreement will similarly see Hancock able to earn a 51 percent interest by completing certain milestones.
In September 2023, Rinehart made headlines when she took a position in Liontown Resources and then rapidly increased the position to 19.9 percent over the following month. This allowed Hancock, which was now Liontown's largest shareholder, to effectively block Albemarle’s (NYSE:ALB) accepted takeover of the smaller lithium company.
However, Liontown took a hit as the economics for its near-production Kathleen Valley lithium project in Western Australia were affected by high inflation and low lithium prices. In January 2024, Albemarle decided to sell off its 4 percent stake in Liontown. The lack of any further moves or comment by Rinehart in relation to Liontown Resources has led to speculation she may be waiting for the right opportunity to buy up the lithium company at a discount.
Kathleen Valley entered open-pit production in late July 2024, and is expected to produce approximately 500,000 tonnes per year of spodumene concentrate per year. In April of this year, the operation became Australia's first underground lithium mine when it commenced production from its Mount Mann deposit. Liontown plans to fully transition production to the underground mine in its fiscal 2026.
Albemarle's Liontown acquistion wasn't the only lithium bid Rinehart blocked in October 2023. As is her strategy, Rinehart scooped up an 18.9 percent stake in Azure Minerals after SQM announced its intention for a total takeover of the company and its Andover lithium project in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia.
This story had a different ending, though, as Hancock Prospecting instead joined the lithium giant in a AU$1.7 billion deal to become a co-owner of the exploration-stage Andover project. The deal closed in May 2024.
Shortly after its Liontown and Azure moves, Hancock Prospecting continued investing in Western Australia's lithium prospects when it participated in a AU$70.2 million fundraising for Delta Lithium in November 2023. The proceeds will help Delta Lithium to fund the development of its Mount Ida lithium-gold project, which is adjacent to Hancock's Mount Bevan joint venture project. As of November 2024, Hancock Prospecting owns 10.65 percent of Delta Lithium.
Rinehart has made lithium investments outside of Australia as well. Looking further afield to Germany, with a 7.5 percent stake, Hancock Prospecting is the second largest shareholder in Vulcan Energy and its flagship Zero Carbon lithium project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley, a milestone Rinehart's company reached after investing an additional AU$20 million in Vulcan, which made headlines in June 2024. The Zero Carbon project is slated to produce an initial 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide by the end of 2025, targeting Europe’s electric vehicle manufacturing sector.
In November 2024, Vulcan Energy reached another major milestone with first production at its downstream lithium hydroxide optimisation plant, which is designed to produce lithium hydroxide and battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate. In May 2025, Vulcan commenced drilling on its first new geothermal energy-lithium well in Landau, Germany, as part of its Phase 1 Lionheart project. The site currently holds four production and re-injection wells and the company aims to add 24 more that will produce hot lithium brine. Vulcan plans to use the new production to increase its geothermal energy production and begin commercial lithium production.
Gina Rinehart’s rare earth metals investments
Facilities at MP Materials' Mountain Pass rare earths mine.
clayton harrison / Shutterstock
Through Hancock Prospecting, Gina Rinehart has made investments in some of the world’s most well known rare earth mineral producing companies — US-based MP Materials and Australia’s Lynas Rare Earths — as well as development-stage Arafura Rare Earths and exploration-stage Brazilian Rare Earths (ASX:BRE). Rinehart taking a position in these rare earths companies shows she is looking to capitalise on the significant need for these critical metals outside of China.
As mentioned in the introduction to this article, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting is the largest shareholder of Arafura Rare Earths, giving it a 10 percent stake in the advanced-stage Nolans project in the Northern Territory, Australia. Rinehart made the investment in December 2022.
In April 2024, Rinehart made two significant moves into the sector. The first came on April 9, when it was revealed that Hancock Prospecting had acquired a 5.3 percent stake in MP Materials, the second largest rare earths producer outside of China. The company’s California-based Mountain Pass mine is the only integrated rare earth mining and processing operation in North America.
Rinehart’s investment in MP Materials could later bring in “Roy Hill-type cash flow,” Dylan Kelly, head analyst at Terra Capital, told Australian Financial Review. “Anything that is producing and not China-aligned is highly strategic. These materials are very, very hard to make and there’s a lot of demand in making magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines."
One week later, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting also took up a 5.82 percent interest in Lynas Rare Earths, the largest ex-China rare earths producer. The Australian rare earths miner produces the critical metals at its Mount Weld mine in Western Australia and ships the raw material to Malaysia for processing. Lynas is also ramping up processing at its Kalgoorlie rare earth processing facility in Australia, and building light rare earths processing facilities and a heavy rare earths separation facility in Texas, US.
Rinehart’s near simultaneous investments in both Lynas and MP Materials comes after merger talks between the two rare earths behemoths stalled in February 2024. There was speculation stirring that Rinehart’s participation could renew merger discussions, Reuters reported.
In November 2024, the mining mogul increased her position in MP Materials to 8.5 percent, further raising the possibility of a merger down the road. As for Lynas, she raised her stake to 7.14 percent in July 2024 and then 8.21 percent in January 2025.
Rinehart is also getting her foot in the rare earths door at the exploration level. In 2023, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting made a pre-IPO investment for a 5.85 percent share in Brazilian Rare Earths, which went on to list on the ASX in December of that year. The rare earth explorer is working its district-scale Rocha da Rocha rare earth asset in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The province is highly prospective for both heavy and light rare earths, with grades of over 40 percent total rare earth oxides found. Brazilian Rare Earths is working to complete an updated JORC mineral resource estimate.
Gina Rinehart’s copper investments
Gina Rinehart’s copper investments are centered on Ecuador’s Andean copper-gold belt, and include explorer Titan Minerals and Ecuador's state-owned Empresa Nacional Minera (ENAMI).
Ecuador has seen a rush of major mining companies taking up positions in key copper and gold projects in recent years, placing Hancock Prospecting in the company of Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B), Zijin Mining (HKEX:2899) and Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF).
Rinehart’s Ecuadorian copper investments are in line with her shift toward the critical metals necessary for the green transition and her strategy to expand the global footprint of her mining empire.
Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining has been in the region since 2017, and has continued to make more investments. In March 2024, Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hanrine Ecuadorian Exploration and Mining acquired a 49 percent stake in six mining concessions for AU$186.4 million. The deal sees it partner with state mining company ENAMI for the concessions, which surround the stalled Llurimagua copper-molybdenum project in Northern Ecuador.
In late April 2024, Ecuador’s constitutional court nixed appeals by ENAMI and its partner in the Llurimagua project, Chile’s state-owned CODELCO, to review the March 2023 decision by Imbabura’s provincial supreme court suspending the environmental licence for Llurimagua.
Shortly after the investment with ENAMI, Rinehart's Hanrine made another play in Ecuador by striking an earn-in agreement with Titan Minerals for up to an 80 percent ownership stake in the explorer’s Linderos copper-gold project contingent on up to AU$120 million in exploration spending. Linderos is an early-exploration stage project with the potential to host a large-scale copper porphyry system. Hanrine has made an initial investment of AU$2 million for a 5 percent stake.
Gina Rinehart’s oil and gas investments
Gina Rinehart’s oil and gas investments include private firms Warrego Energy in Western Australia and Senex Energy in Queensland.
In February 2023, Hancock Prospecting won a protracted bidding war for the then-public Warrego with Warrego's joint venture partner Strike Energy (ASX:STX) at a price of AU$0.36 per share. Warrego and operator Strike Energy maintain their 50/50 joint venture on the West Erregulla onshore gas field within exploration permit EP 469 near Perth in Western Australia.
In mid-August 2024, the West Erregulla project received its production licence. During Phase 1, the project is expected to produce 87 terajoules per day.
As for Senex Energy, it is a joint venture between POSCO (50.1 percent) and Hancock Prospecting subsidiary Hancock Energy (49.9 percent) that holds the Atlas and Roma North natural gas developments in Queensland’s Surat Basin. The two JV partners acquired Senex in 2022, with Rinehart’s company putting up AU$440.89 million.
Senex Energy has embarked on a AU$1 billion expansion endeavor at Atlas and Roma North that will see 60 petajoules of natural gas delivered to Australia’s east coast market annually by the end of 2025. This figure represents more than 10 percent of the region’s demand. Regulatory approval for the expansion was finally received following an uphill battle with a Federal government more interested in renewable energy projects than the natural gas variety. Hancock Prospecting reported the first flows of gas production from the expansion field in late November 2024.
Rinehart once had a significant stake of nearly 20 percent in Lakes Oil, now Lakes Blue Energy (ASX:LKO), through subsidiary Timeview Enterprises. Timeview's stake in Lakes Blue Energy has been lowered in recent years, but it remains the company's fourth largest shareholder at 4.63 percent.
In late October 2024, Rinehart offered financial assistance to Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN,OTC Pink:MALRF), a diversified mining company with lithium, iron ore and oil and gas operations in Western Australia. Headed by another mining heavyweight, Chris Ellison, Mineral Resources (MinRes) is reportedly drowning in debt and embroiled in a tax evasion investigation. At that time, Hancock Prospecting agreed to a AU$1.13 billion buyout of MinRes' oil and gas projects in the Perth Basin and an exploration acreage in the Carnarvon Basin.
The 100 percent sale of two of MinRes' exploration permits to Hancock was completed in December 2024 for initial consideration of AU$780 million, with potential for up to AU$327 million depending on whether certain conditions and thresholds are met. The permits include the Moriarty Deep prospect and the Lockyer gas and Erregulla oil discoveries.
Separate to that sale, the two companies are also forming two 50/50 exploration joint ventures for MinRes' remaining permits in the Perth and Carnarvon Basins. Hancock will acquire 50 percent of the MinRes Explorer drill rig, which is the largest in Australia.
Gina Rinehart’s potash and agriculture investments
Gina Rinehart’s potash and agricultural investments center on Hancock Prospecting’s ownership interests in multiple premium cattle stations in Australia, and the company's royalty revenue generated from the Anglo-American-controlled Woodsmith potash project currently under construction in the United Kingdom.
With an original investment of AU$380.6 million in 2016 to then-owner Sirius Minerals, Hancock Prospecting has a 5 percent revenue royalty on the first 13 million tonnes of fertiliser produced from Woodsmith and 1 percent thereafter. Hancock also has a 20,000 tonne per year offtake option. The timeline for Rinehart’s royalty revenue has been pushed back, however, as Anglo is cutting spending at Woodsmith following BHP’s (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) failed mega-merger with Anglo American.
Investor takeaway
With Gina Rinehart at the helm of Hancock Prospecting, the Roy Hill iron ore mine has generated stellar revenues.
That wealth creation not only made her Australia's richest person, but has also built a powerful war chest from which Rinehart is expanding her mining empire.
Investors can take cues from her recent and future moves in the mining sector. Although she may be defensive toward renewable energy technologies encroaching on agricultural land, she understands the strategical importance of investing in critical metals for the green transition such as lithium, rare earths and copper.
FAQs for Gina Rinehart
How much is Gina Rinehart worth?
Gina Rinehart's net worth is reported to be AU$38.11 billion, maintaining her spot as the richest Australian, according to figures from the Australian Financial Review's Rich List 2025. However, her total wealth is down 6 percent over the previous year.
"Iron ore magnate Rinehart has topped the Rich List for the sixth year in a row, but the falling iron ore price has hit the valuation of her Hancock Prospecting, wiping around $2b off her estimated net worth," the list's authors explain.
What company does Gina Rinehart own?
Gina Rinehart owns Hancock Prospecting, a private company founded by her late father Lang Hancock. Originally an iron ore mining company, today the firm has strategic stakes in a wide-range of metals and commodities from lithium and rare earths to copper and agriculture, which are detailed in this article.
Can I buy shares in Hancock Prospecting?
While investors can't buy public shares in privately held Hancock Prospecting, they can take equity positions in the publicly traded stocks in which the company itself holds interest. Some of these stocks include Arafura Rare Earths (ASX:ARU,OTC Pink:ARAFF), Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR,OTC Pink:LINRF), MP Materials (NYSE:MP) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC).
Does Gina Rinehart own Rio Tinto?
Although she has interest in many mining companies and the two companies share the Hope Downs joint venture, Gina Rinehart does not own mining giant Rio Tinto. Market Screener reports that Aluminum Corporation of China (SHA:601600) is its largest shareholder at 14.5 percent, followed by BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) and others at around 3 percent and below.
What does Gina Rinehart think about nuclear energy?
Gina Rinehart is pro-nuclear energy. During a speech at The Australian Bush Summit in 2023, she railed against the impact of wind and solar farms on much needed agricultural land in Australia. She suggested that nuclear energy offers a more viable solution for reaching the country's net zero targets.
Is Gina Rinehart the richest person in Australia?
Gina Rinehart is the richest person in Australia with a net worth of AU$38.11 billion. In 2025, she topped the Australian Financial Review's Rich List for the sixth consecutive year in a row. The next richest Australian, real estate developer Harry Triguboff, trails her at AU$29.65 billion.
Is Gina Rinehart the richest woman in the world?
Gina Rinehart is not the richest woman in the world. While she did rank as the world's ninth richest woman in 2024, as of March 2025, she is no longer in the top ten. The distinction of richest woman in the world goes to Walmart (NYSE:WMT) heiress Alice Walton. Rinehart previously held the title in 2012.
This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2024.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Beneficiation Delivers 4,480ppm Lithium Clay Concentrate at Red Mountain Project, USA
Key Highlights
- Follow-up Falcon C beneficiation testwork completed on diamond drill core samples from the Red Mountain Project.
- Sample upgraded from 3,245ppm to 4,481ppm Lithium.
- Successful removal of 51.8% of dense material and concurrent 38% increase in lithium grade.
- Reinforces the April 2025 results indicating that Red Mountain mineralisation may be upgraded using beneficiation.
- Attrition Scrubbing beneficiation testwork now underway for comparison with the Falcon testwork results.
- Leaching testwork to be undertaken on Falcon and Attrition Scrubbing products to confirm reduced acid consumptions.
Following on from the results announced on 22 April 2025, this second phase of Falcon Beneficiation testwork was designed to concentrate lithium-bearing clay and remove unmineralized gangue (waste) in order to decrease mass and increase lithium grade. In a mineral processing context, a reduction in tonnes and volume processed with an increased head-grade typically results in lower processing costs.
This second Falcon testwork program was conducted by Sepro Laboratories (Sepro) and utilised high- clay drill core samples from hole RMDD002 (which intersected 86.9m @ 1,470ppm Li from 18.3m4). This follow-up test was designed to establish how high-clay material performed using the Falcon method, for comparison with results from the previous test conducted on lower grade mineralisation from Red Mountain.
The latest result indicates a strong ability to upgrade mineralisation, achieving a reduction of sample mass by 51.8% with a concurrent increase in lithium grade of 38% (from 3,245 to 4,481ppm Li), with an overall 66.6% lithium recovery. These results compare favourably with the previous round of testwork, exhibiting both a greater upgrade in lithium and reduction in mass, with a substantial 43% reduction in calcium and carbon (interpreted as calcite removal) expected to result in a significant reduction in acid consumption. The Company has commissioned Attrition Scrubbing testwork – another method of beneficiation – for comparison with the Falcon results. Once complete, sample products from both the Falcon and Attrition Scrubbing tests will be assessed for acid consumption in future leachability tests.
Astute Chairman, Tony Leibowitz, said:“The demonstration of a commercial pathway to a lithium product is the natural complement to the establishment of a Mineral Resource. It is for this reason that Astute has actively advanced workflows for both exploration drilling and metallurgical testing at Red Mountain, in tandem. These positive results, which reinforce the previous results from the project, represent the systematic de-risking of what continues to emerge as an important US- based critical metals project.”
Figure 1. Clay-rich RMDD002 drill-core from 160-165ft (3,280ppm Li) used in Falcon beneficiation testwork.
Background
Located in central-eastern Nevada (Figure 4), adjacent to the Grand Army of the Republic Highway (Route 6), which links the regional mining towns of Ely and Tonopah, the Red Mountain Project was staked by Astute in August 2023.
The Project area has broad mapped tertiary lacustrine (lake) sedimentary rocks known locally as the Horse Camp Formation1. Elsewhere in the state of Nevada, equivalent rocks host large lithium deposits (see Figure 4) such as Lithium Americas’ (NYSE: LAC) 62.1Mt LCE Thacker Pass Project2 and American Lithium (TSX.V: LI) 9.79Mt LCE TLC Lithium Project3.
Astute has completed substantial surface sampling campaigns at Red Mountain, which indicate widespread lithium anomalism in soils (Figure 3) and confirmed lithium mineralisation in bedrock with some exceptional grades of up to 4,150ppm Li1,5.
A total of 19 RC and diamond drill holes have been drilled at the project to date for a combined 3,666m. Exploration drilling has been highly successful, with strong lithium mineralisation intersected in every hole for which assays have been received9.
Scoping leachability testwork on mineralised material from Red Mountain indicates high leachability of lithium of up to 98%, varying with temperature, acid strength and leaching duration, and proof-of- concept beneficiation testwork has indicated the potential to upgrade the Red Mountain mineralisation6,8.
About Beneficiation
The primary purpose of beneficiation is to optimise the value of mineralised material by separating unwanted waste material (gangue) from valuable minerals.
Testwork conducted to date at Red Mountain indicates that clay-hosted lithium mineralisation may be upgraded through beneficiation, which seeks to remove coarser grained material, such as particles of sand, that do not contain appreciable lithium8. Successful beneficiation can result in reduced reagent consumption, reduced plant wear and tear, and a reduced environmental footprint.
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This article includes content from Astute Metals NL, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.