According to a report, Australian miner Fortescue announced it has delayed the full operations of its Iron Bridge project to 2028 due to new technical challenges and the necessity of design revisions. The original plan for full production is due by mid-2023 but it now aims for full production of an annual 22 million tons by 2028.
Fortescue started construction in 2019 but it has extended the schedule due to rising costs, equipment issues, and leadership changes. Iron Bridge is a key component of Fortescue’s strategy to move beyond its traditional medium- to low-grade iron ore offerings. The project produces magnetite concentrate, a high-grade product containing 67% iron. This energy-intensive process upgrades lower-quality ore from Western Australia, enabling Fortescue to command premium prices in the global market.
It is expected the production could reach 10 to 12 million tons by June 2026. Iron Bridge is one of two high-grade products introduced by Fortescue in recent years. The other, West Pilbara Fines, was launched in 2018 to meet rising Chinese demand for cleaner steelmaking materials. Fortescue is also preparing to introduce a third high-grade product later this year, sourced from its green iron plant located at Christmas Creek.