https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Receive our free daily newsletter:

Hancock Prospecting

Hancock Prospecting is an Australian private mining and pastoral company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. The company is one of Australia's largest private enterprises and a major iron-ore producer, with operations concentrated in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Hancock Prospecting is wholly owned by executive chairperson Gina Rinehart, who inherited the business from her father, Lang Hancock, a prospector who discovered vast iron-ore deposits in the Pilbara in the 1950s. The company's core business centres on iron-ore mining, with significant holdings in the Hope Downs and Roy Hill projects, the latter being one of the world's largest single-pit iron-ore mines. Roy Hill, which commenced production in 2015, has an annual capacity exceeding 55-million tonnes and includes dedicated rail and port infrastructure at Port Hedland. Beyond iron ore, Hancock Prospecting holds interests in coal, copper, gold and agricultural properties across Australia. The company also maintains strategic investments in other mining ventures and has expanded internationally, including stakes in projects in Africa and North America. Hancock Prospecting's revenue and asset base place it among Australia's wealthiest private companies, with Rinehart frequently ranked as the country's richest individual. The business was founded by Lang Hancock in 1955 and has remained family-controlled through successive generations, maintaining a low public profile despite its substantial economic footprint.

Hancock Prospecting Updates


Nolans project
Arafura to raise A$375m and settle equity component for Nolans build
22nd May 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Following a positive final investment decision to proceed with the $1.6-billion Nolans rare earth project in Australia, ASX-listed Arafura Rare Earths has launched a A$350-million institutional... 


Nolans project
Australia's Arafura approves $1.6 billion rare earths project
21st May 2026 By: Reuters

Arafura Rare Earths said on Thursday it had approved the development of its $1.6-billion Nolans project in Australia's Northern Territory, which is set to be the country's third-biggest rare earths... 


BHP's Jimblebar operation
BHP adopts new Chinese iron-ore price index in deal to end dispute, sources say
23rd April 2026 By: Reuters

BHP Group agreed to use an additional Chinese iron ore price index for one of its flagship products as part of a deal with China to end a months-long dispute, three sources with knowledge of the... 


Gina Rinehart
Billionaire Gina Rinehart partly loses iron-ore legal battle
15th April 2026 By: Bloomberg

Hancock Prospecting, the private company of billionaire Gina Rinehart, has partly lost a decade-long legal battle with Wright Prospecting over royalties, but will retain ownership of a major... 


LG Energy selling its 7.5% stake in lithium firm Liontown, term sheet shows
LG Energy selling its 7.5% stake in lithium firm Liontown, term sheet shows
25th February 2026 By: Reuters

outh Korea's LG Energy Solution is selling its 7.5% stake, or shares worth at least A$419-million, in Australian lithium producer Liontown in a block trade, according to a term sheet. The South... 


Port Hedland resumes operations after tropical cyclone Mitchell
Port Hedland resumes operations after tropical cyclone Mitchell
9th February 2026 By: Mariaan Webb

Western Australia's Port Hedland, the world's largest iron-ore export hub, resumed operations at noon on Sunday after being cleared on Friday as tropical cyclone Mitchell developed off the coast of... 


Hancock Prospecting executive chairperson Gina Rinehart
Australia's mining competitiveness at risk from excessive regulation, says Rinehart
10th December 2025 By: Reuters

Mining tycoon Gina Rinehart said on Wednesday the burden of excessive regulation on the Australian mining industry had put its global competitiveness at risk. Rinehart is executive chairman of... 


Victoria bolsters critical minerals push with Sunday Creek exploration tunnel approval
28th November 2025 By: Mariaan Webb

Victoria’s push to strengthen its position in Australia’s critical minerals landscape has taken a step forward, with the state government approving Southern Cross Gold’s Work Plan for an... 


Lithium stockpile at Geraldton – Kathleen Valley
Kathleen Valley lithium/tantalum project, Australia – update
28th November 2025 By: Sheila Barradas

Liontown Resources' first online auction for spodumene concentrate from its flagship Kathleen Valley project has fetched a price far above prevailing spot levels. 


China lifts partial ban on iron-ore buys from Australia's Hancock, sources say
30th October 2025 By: Reuters

China's state buyer has allowed its steel mills to resume buying a type of iron-ore from Australia's Hancock Prospecting after barring such sales during a year-plus negotiation dispute, three... 


Gina Rinehart
Rinehart doubles stake in Arafura Rare Earths
29th October 2025 By: Reuters

Australia's richest person Gina Rinehart has doubled down on her holdings in Australia's Arafura Rare Earths, even as shares of the developer fell by more than a fifth of its value on Wednesday due... 


Australian mining magnet Gina Rinehart
Saudi Arabia lures Macquarie, Rinehart in courtship of Australia
22nd October 2025 By: Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia is ramping up efforts to deepen ties with Australia — a country with which it has traditionally done limited business — as the kingdom seeks to capitalise on fresh momentum from deals... 


Fenix names former FMG exec as COO of Westmine
20th October 2025 By: Creamer Media Reporter

Iron-ore miner Fenix Resources has appointed mining executive Fernando Pereira as COO of its wholly owned subsidiary, Westmine, as the company targets a major expansion of its iron-ore operations.... 


St George's raises cash for Brazil project, Rinehart's Hancock invests more
13th October 2025 By: Mariaan Webb

Rare earths developer St George Mining on Monday announced a A$72.5-million equity raise, including a strategic investment by Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting, to advance the Araxá rare earth... 


1

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

pqt: 0.075s - ct: 0.136s - 240pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now