Community

Ashburton Salt will deliver long-term economic and community benefits to the region. To help us understand the views of locals, and the benefits they actually want, we have been engaging with the community since 2016.

Consulting communities

Working with Traditional Owners

K+S is new to Australia and has had the privilege of learning about the culture and history of Australia’s first people.

In 2023 we signed a project agreement with the area’s native Traditional Owners, the Thalanyji People, through the Buurabalayji Thalanyji Aboriginal Corporation (BTAC).

This partnership not only creates opportunities for the Thalanyji People in employment, training, and contracting, but also demonstrates K+S’ shared values in preserving cultural heritage and supporting land management.

Local community

We have been actively engaging with communities in Onslow and Exmouth since 2016.

This has included Community Drop-in Sessions, email updates and countless in-person coffees with people interested in learning more about us and the project.

We are very grateful for the warm welcome we have received. Our conversations have revealed local people are supportive of the project and the anticipated economic activity it will attract to the region.

We believe that together we can build a strong future for the communities of Exmouth and Onslow.

Project benefits

Our proposed project includes a commitment to building a local residential workforce. The project is expected to deliver local, state and national benefits during the delivery and operational phases.

After initial delivery, Ashburton Salt will employ around 130 local people who, with their families will be buying locally, using local services and contributing to community life.

The initial three-year deliver phase benefits will include:

• Total capital expenditure of $850million

• More than 350 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs during construction

• Generate $36.1 million in economic activity

Operational phase benefits to 2085 will include:

• Annual production capacity of 4.7million tonnes, growing WA salt production by 35%

• Generate an annual average economic output of $233million – 96% of this in the Pilbara

• Provide on average 150 jobs per annum, including administration and support staff, technical and operational managers, lab technicians, various machine operators, mechanics, electricians, technicians and superintendents

• Annual average of $103 million of real income generated

• More than $95 million of Commonwealth, State and Local taxation each year, which will equate to taxation payments totalling more than $5.9billion over the project’s life

• For WA, the average benefit is $5.4 million each year. Over the project’s lifetime, the benefit could provide funding for a new primary school every 3-4 years

• $40.7million of income benefits to the Pilbara region per year, equating to $739 per person thanks to new jobs and associated spending of employees and the Project

• The employment impact in the Pilbara region will be equivalent to between 32 and 33 average Western Australian small businesses, demonstrating the transformative role the Project can play in local employment.