Roy Hill and Hancock Prospecting executive chair Gina Rinehart has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the General Division, as part of the Australia Day 2022 Honours list.
The mining magnate, who was one of only 25 Australians selected for the honour this year, was recognised for “distinguished service to the mining sector, to the community through philanthropic initiatives and to sport as a patron”.
Announcing the Australia Day Honours List, Governor-General David Hurley highlighted that of the 732 awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia, the highest ever percentage (47 per cent) are for women and 45 per cent are for service to local communities.
”Congratulations to the outstanding Australians recognised in today’s Honours List,” Hurley said.
“Collectively the recipients, whose achievements span community service, science and research, industry, sport, the arts and more, represent the strength and diversity of Australia.”
It has been a busy start to the year for Rinehart as earlier this month Hancock Prospecting filed for environmental approval for a 20 million tonne per annum (mtpa) iron ore mine on her family’s Mulga Downs station in the Pilbara.
The proposed area is located within an area of existing pastoral and mining land use with transport of the ore proposed via the Great Northern Highway to Port Hedland for export.
According to the proposal filed with the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), facilities will be developed to support production of up to 20 million tonnes of ore per annum (Mtpa) over a minimum 30-year period.
Also this year, Hancock Prospecting signed a development agreement to lead a bankable feasibility study on the Hardey iron ore project in the West Pilbara owned by the Australian Premium Iron (API) joint venture.
Under the terms of the development agreement, Hancock will lead the development and operation of the project subject to a final investment decision.
The project is expected to be a $US7.4 billion ($AUD10.3 billion) mine, rail and deep-water port development.
Last year, the iron ore boom saw Rinehart and Andrew Forrest maintain the top two spots on the 2021 Financial Review Rich List with a combined $58.3 billion.
At the time, Rinehart saw a six-month increase of $2.16 billion bring her worth to $31.06 billion, while Forrest jumped over $4 billion to sit at $27.25 billion.