▁of ▁twelve ▁iron ▁ore ▁mines ▁the ▁company ▁oper ates ▁in ▁the ▁Pil bara . ▁In ▁the ▁calendar ▁year ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁combined ▁Pil bara ▁operations ▁produced ▁ 2 0 2 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁of ▁iron ▁ore , ▁a ▁ 1 5 ▁percent ▁increase ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁Pil bara ▁operations ▁account ed ▁for ▁almost ▁ 1 3 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁iron ▁ore ▁production ▁of ▁ 1 . 5 9 ▁billion ▁t onnes . ▁ ▁The ▁Ham ers ley ▁Range , ▁where ▁the ▁mine ▁is ▁located , ▁contains ▁ 8 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁all ▁identified ▁iron ▁ore ▁res erves ▁in ▁Australia ▁and ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁major ▁iron ▁ore ▁provinces . ▁ ▁The ▁project ▁le ases ▁are ▁estimated ▁to ▁have ▁ 1 , 4 5 0 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁of ▁mine able ▁ore ▁and ▁the ▁mines ▁to ▁have ▁an ▁expected ▁life ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁Over view ▁ ▁Rio ▁T into ▁iron ▁ore ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁Pil bara ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁Ex pl oration ▁work ▁through ▁Han cock ▁Pro spect ing ▁at ▁the ▁Hope ▁Down s ▁ 4 ▁depos it ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁Han cock ▁un success fully ▁tried ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁project ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁partners , ▁briefly ▁rum ored ▁to ▁be ▁planning ▁to ▁join ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁Fort esc ue ▁Met als ▁Group ▁in ▁ 2 0