[3] In 1919 Government Geologist Andrew Gibb Maitland confirmed these deposits but at the time mining them was not an economically viable proposition.

[2] In the lead up to the Second World War, due to the classification of iron as a strategic material the Commonwealth of Australia placed an embargo on the export of ore.

Ernie Mitchell, chairman of directors of an indigenous corporation known as the Pindan Group, called for an iron ore export licence to be issued to his organisation.

The consortium signed a contract with Japanese steel mills in February 1965 with a stipulation that the first shipment of ore had to be made within 15 months.

Construction of the port and town commenced in February 1965 and the first rail-delivery of iron ore was made to Finucane Island on 1 December 1965.