• US$800 million ammonium nitrate plant opened
• Facility to create about 70 new jobs
• Pilbara continues to be an attractive investment location 

The State Government is celebrating a major investment in downstream processing, with Premier Colin Barnett opening the Yara Pilbara Nitrates technical ammonium nitrate (TAN) plant in the North-West today.

Mr Barnett said the plant employed more than 500 workers on site during construction and would require about 70 employees for ongoing operations.

"Yara Pilbara has also invested more than $50 million in Karratha for residential housing for employees and their families, demonstrating its commitment to the community," he said.

The Premier said the innovative $US800 million plant integrated with the neighbouring Yara Pilbara Fertilisers plant.

"This new TAN plant will take ammonia from the fertiliser plant and use it to produce up to 330,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate each year," he said.

"This type of value-adding industry is essential to future economic development of the Pilbara, creating employment and securing local supply of ammonium nitrate for the mining industry."

Located in the Burrup Strategic Industrial Area (SIA) near Karratha, State Development Minister Bill Marmion said the project showed Western Australia remained an attractive place for large-scale international investment.

"Projects can invest with confidence and proceed without unnecessary delays," Mr Marmion said. 

"I'm hoping to soon see other value-adding industries develop in the Burrup SIA."

Fact File

• Yara Pilbara Nitrates Pty Ltd is a joint venture between Norway's Yara International ASA (55%) and Orica Ltd (45%)
• Ammonium nitrate is a key component of explosives used in the mining and construction industries
• The Burrup SIA is also home to the Yara Pilbara Fertilisers plant, the North West Shelf Venture and the Pluto LNG Project