Rinehart to spend big on birthday raffle

Gina Rinehart is expected to splurge on her workers as part of her birthday bonus raffle, which is understood to become an annual event.

It was widely reported that Mrs Rinehart dished out $4.1 million worth of prizes for thousands of workers across her companies to mark her birthday last year.

Business News understands another birthday raffle will take place today, for the mining magnate’s 70^th birthday celebration.

However, the price tag of the prizes this year is yet to be disclosed.

Hancock Prospecting declined to comment on the birthday raffles.

Mrs Rinehart took over her father Lang Hancock’s mining empire and has been executive chairman at Hancock Prospecting since his death in 1992.

Hancock Prospecting’s flagship asset is the Roy Hill mining project in the Pilbara.

Her net worth has been estimated at $45 billion according to Business News' evaluation, with her business portfolio covering mining, agriculture, and a recent foray into Australian fashion with the acquisition of Rossi Boots and Driza-Bone.

Hancock Prospecting has been in legal proceedings with Wright Prospecting and DFD Rhodes in an ongoing trial in the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

Wright Prospecting claims part-ownership and royalties over mining tenements co-owned by Hancock and Rio Tinto.

Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Smith is expected to deliver a judgment sometime this year.