Cliffs approved for Mt Jackson deposit

US-based miner Cliffs Natural Resources has received federal and state government approval to begin development at its Mount Jackson iron ore deposit, near its existing Koolyanobbing mine in the Wheatbelt.

Mt Jackson contains an estimated 30 million tones of iron ore at around 60 per cent Fe grade.

Cliffs Asia Pacific iron ore managing director Duncan Price said Mt Jackson underpins the company's commitment to planned expansion in the region.

Earlier this year, the Cliffs board approved a $320 million upgrade to the site at Koolyanobbing designed to increase production from 8.5Mt to 11Mt over the next two years.

Cliffs has biomass, iron ore and coal operations in North America, Australia and South America.