The severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia has moved closer towards Port Hedland, with several warning zones issued across the Western Australian coast.
Yesterday (13 February), the cyclone had formed off the coast and was expected to intensify as it made landfall as a category five storm, as Mining.com.au previously reported.
The category five system lies 115km north of Port Hedland and 220km northeast of Karratha.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) reports there are several warning zones issued from Wallal Downs to Dampier, including Port Hedland, Karratha and Dampier, and extending inland to Marble Bar, Millstream, Nullagine, Tom Price and Paraburdoo.
BOM says the cyclone is expected to bring “very destructive winds” up to 320km per hour in the middle of these areas tomorrow morning (15 February).
The Bureau of Meteorology says there is always some uncertainty associated with tropical cyclone forecasting and the grey zone indicates the range of likely tracks of the cyclone centre.
“Due to the uncertainty in the future movement, the indicated winds will almost certainly extend to regions outside the rings on this map. The extent of the warning and watch zones reflects this,” the Bureau reports.
“This product is designed for land-based communities; mariners should read the coastal waters and high seas warnings.”
Western Australia is ranked in the top 10 in the share of the world’s total mineral and resources production, as of 2023. Australia’s mining industry produces more than 50 different minerals from 134 projects across Western Australia.
At Port Hedland, authorities have closed operations ahead of Zelia’s arrival, while Dampier Salt operations have also closed.
Dampier Salt, comprising two solar salt locations in Western Australia — Dampier and Port Hedland — is considered the largest exporter of seaborne salt, harvesting millions of tonnes each year.
Between the two operations, there are 53 pounds across 20,000 hectares and is operated by a 99% residential workforce.
Mining giant Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) says it is too early to say how long port and rail operations will be closed and what the impact will be.
Rio Tinto owns 17 mines, four independent port terminals, and a rail network spanning nearly 2,000km and related infrastructure in the Pilbara region.
Zelia is the first cyclone of the season to make landfall, following a series of storms bringing heavy rain to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Earlier this year, Cyclone Sean damaged one of Rio Tinto’s port facilities.
On 20 January 2025, a railcar dumper at the East Intercourse Island port facility, which shipped 45 million tonnes of iron ore shipments in 2024, was flooded after the weather event passed the coast.
Rio Tinto is working to mitigate the impacts and will provide an update at its full year results on 19 February 2025.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: BOM & Stock
